Kochi sake heads to a trade fair in southern India

When it comes to sake exports, the United States, China and Europe are the main destinations. Now, however, some breweries are turning their attention to India as a new market. From 9 to 11 September 2026, the drinks trade fair “Brews & Spirits Expo 2026” (organised by PDA Ventures) was held at the KTPO Convention Centre in Bengaluru, a city in southern India. At this seventh edition the number of exhibitors passed 100 for the first time, and a Japan Pavilion was set up on the floor. Based on a local report from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), here is a look at how it went.

Japanese sake lines up in the Japan Pavilion

Eight companies and organisations took part in the Japan Pavilion. Kochi Prefecture, on the Pacific side of Shikoku, set up a stand as a prefecture and presented two breweries within it: Arimitsu Shuzojo and Matsuo Shuzo. They were joined by Doi Shuzojo from Shizuoka Prefecture, Choya Umeshu from Osaka Prefecture (known for its plum wine), Hamada Shuzo from Kagoshima Prefecture, Kagura Shuzo from Miyazaki Prefecture, and Sake Mom India, which works to spread Japanese sake in India. Some Japanese companies, such as Rokkosan Distillery from Hyogo Prefecture, exhibited on their own, separately from the pavilion.

The two Kochi breweries have already begun selling in India. Arimitsu Shuzojo sells “Akitora Junmai”, and Matsuo Shuzo sells “Far Space Traveler” and “Deep Ocean Traveler” in Bengaluru. “Junmai” refers to sake brewed from only rice, rice koji and water, with no added brewer’s alcohol.

Suggesting what to pair it with moves negotiations forward

According to Sake Mom India, buyers came to the fair not only from the host state of Karnataka but also from neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Telangana, and they asked specific questions about stocking the products and future plans. The organisation feels that business discussions are more likely to progress when it goes beyond presenting the sake itself and also suggests how to serve it in restaurants and which dishes to pair it with.

Alongside sake, Kochi Prefecture is also putting effort into exporting its local seafood. In July 2024 it held a tasting of Kochi seafood products in Bengaluru, the first of its kind in India. This time, to coincide with the fair, it held a pairing event combining Kochi fish dishes with local sake. Indian restaurant representatives who took part reportedly expressed surprise at how well sake goes with ingredients commonly used in Indian cooking, such as herbs, nuts, oils and cheese.

For European readers: enjoying sake from an Indian angle

This story offers a few ideas for people who enjoy sake in Europe, too. Many European cities have Indian restaurants, and dishes made with herbs, nuts and cheese are familiar at home as well. Sake does not have to be matched only with Japanese food. The next time you eat Indian food, try a gently aromatic junmai sake served slightly chilled, and see how it works with the richness of the spices and nuts. And if the label says “Kochi”, it may be a sake brewed with fish dishes in mind. How the sale of sake develops in India may also prove a useful reference for the European market.