September saw Hasegawa Saketen UK holding the UK's biggest ever coordinated sake party and sake tasting events for the general public, Meet Kuramoto (Sake Brewers) Sake Tasting in London. Events were held at four venues around London, Mitsukoshi Restaurant, Saki Bar & Food Emporium, Chisou Restaurant and the Japan Foundation. More than 30 master brewers and brewery owners presented over 200 sake, shochu and liqueurs from Japan. The events attracted a wide range of consumers, from students to professionals to retirees, all with a common interest in Japan's brewing culture. Comments were overwhelming positive, with many attendees making inquiries as to where such products could be purchased by consumers in the UK. Hasegawa Saketen UK were delighted with the response, and are now considering opening a retail branch in the UK to cater for the growing demand for high quality alcoholic beverages from Japan.

The IWC awards ceremony , held on 7 September 2010, unveiled the much anticipated 2010 Champion Trophy Winners, Merchant of the Year Awards and Winemaker of the Year Awards. The ceremony featured a speech from Koichi Saura, Coordinator of the IWC Sake Category and Director of the Sake Samurai, a project launched by the Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council to support and promote sake culture throughout the world. Mr. Saura expressed his delight at seeing more and more sake breweries submitting entries to the IWC every year, explaining how London has become an important hub for the sake market, principally in terms of marketing but also increasingly sales. “Sake brewers who have won awards at the IWC have seen increased sales back in the domestic market”, said Mr. Saura, “so taking part in this kind of award really has a dual benefits, both at home and abroad”.

The Eat-Japan Japanese Food Trade Directory is the only trade publication dedicated to Japanese food, drink and food-related products. The latest edition features three essential features for anyone working professionally with Japanese food or drink. The Japanese Food Glossary contains essential information on key Japanese ingredients, food products, beverages and food-related equipment. The Japanese Food Selection section introduces a range of top quality brands and products, arranged by category for easy reference. The comprehensive Japanese Food at Source Distributor List contains all the information required to get in touch with distributors and importers worldwide. This sixth edition also features a comprehensive world trade fair calendar.

45,000 copies of the 2010-11 directory will be distributed to Japanese restaurants, stores selling Japanese ingredients, and food and beverage trade media. The directory will also be distributed over the next twelve months at trade fairs in the UK, Europe and Japan, including IFE in the UK, SIAL , Sirha , Equip Hotel and Ethnic Foods Europe in Europe, and Foodex Japan and W&G Japan in Japan.

The website has also been updated, and the entire edition can be downloaded free of charge here. The E-newsletter will continue to be released monthly, featuring all the latest information on newly available products, trends in the Japanese food and drink trade, and networking opportunities such as tastings and events. You can also view archived news stories on the Trade News page.

Since its creation in 1964, SIAL has become a key event where innovation and business converge. The Parc des Expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte near Paris will host the exhibition from Sunday 17 th October to Thursday 21 st October 2010, and you can pick up a copy of the Eat-Japan Japanese Food Trade Directory 2010-11 from the Eat-Japan Stand No. 5b U 014. In 2008, SIAL attended 5500 exhibitors and some 148000 visitors. The fair is the largest meeting place in the world for the food profession and brings together all the food industry’s stakeholders, from manufacturing, mass retail, catering and foodservice to import-export. This year again, the fair will host several leading Japanese companies as featured in the Eat-Japan Japanese Food Trade Directory, as follows:

Ajinomoto Frozen Foods
Stand No. 5a L 232

JFC France
Stand No. 2 P 090

Kinjirushi Sales
Stand No. 2 P 090

Miyasaka Jozo
Stand No. 2 P 090

Mizkan Group Corporation
Stand No. 2 P 090

Takara Shuzo
Stand No. 2 P 090

Yamato Soysauce & Miso
Stand No. 2 P 090

Italpo Enterprise
Stand No. 5a E160

PIR., the largest trade fair for Russia and CIS countries, will be held in Moscow on 26-29 September, and this year will feature an exciting Japan-focused exhibition areas, the Japanese Cuisine Forum. The area will feature more than 40 exhibitors, including Japanese producers, suppliers of Japanese foodstuffs and ingredients, and manufacturers of equipment, tableware and more. The fair will Japanese companies featured in the Eat-Japan Japanese Food Trade Directory, as follows:

Italpo Enterprise

Mizkan Europe at KONUS-PLUS booth, 2D100 Hall 14