Sake Series

Due to the slowdown in sales, many restaurants are being forced to restructure or modify their menus - in particular, those Japanese restaurants which had begun to select sake. Restaurants, which until now had assembled more than 20 varieties, have narrowed down to 10 brands (to improve cash flow), and have reduced their stocks of more expensive brands. Only those brands of sake that are moderate in price are now available. The reduction in brands is essential, but indiscriminately cutting back will directly affect sales. In this issue, I would like to take a look at which areas to pay attention to when narrowing down the brands of sake your restaurant carries.

Before Narrowing Down Brands
Many times, the reasons for the slowdown in sales of sake are due to servers who – due to a lack of knowledge - don’t offer it to guests. Verify with employees which brands they are to offer one more time; then, after looking at the results, you will need to select the brands. Also, for expensive brands that come in 720 ml bottles, look into things like switching to smaller bottles (300 ml) and sales by the glass, as you will need to try for more moderate prices. What is essential is the effort to find products that really match your restaurant’s food and prices.

Collect Data First
Places that are using a POS (Point of Sale) system can rather simply gather data, including data regarding drinks, but for places that have no such system, let’s begin with sorting out the receipts. The main points are as outlined below.

1. If possible, collect data for monthly sales for a period of two years. Compare this year’s sales with those of last year.
2. Verify periods when new menu items were introduced, as well as those periods when advertisements and other promotions were in existence.
3. Look not only at sales, but at quantity also. As a general rule, there are fewer sales of expensive, high-grade bottles of sake. Particularly in a period of a bad economy, there are sudden declines in the number of high-end bottles that are sold, so by all means examine the quantity that is being sold.
4. Are there changes in the ratio between food and drinks?
5. Fluctuations in per-customer spending (looking at lunch and dinner separately is even better).
6. The sales activity of non-alcoholic drinks.
7. Total number of customers.

Analyze the above points, and analyze the trends in sales and the reasons why products are really not selling well. You can then put the results to use next year.
This Month’s Picks:
Yamatogawa Brewery, Fukushima Prefecture
“Yauemon Junmai Ginjo”

This sake has a flowery fragrance, but actually it possesses plenty of body. It has a pleasant sourness that remains and matches well with winter fatty fish. The price is also moderate.
Eiko Brewery, Ehime Prefecture
"Yume Tsukiyo”

This junmai daiginjo with its subdued fragrance matches especially well with dishes like sashimi, and is perfect for enjoying during the meal. It also goes well with tempura such as white fish tempura. The cobalt blue bottle is popular with Americans.




For seminars on Japanese sake or shochu, contact Yuji Matsumoto at 310-936-4649 or ymatsumoto001@gmail.com.



BACK ISSUES: Sake Series by Yuji Matsumoto
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