KOSHU WINE PROJECT

WINE & PEOPLE

Opportunities in the Wine Trade

With the recovery in the Asian markets, the availability of capital and the anticipated boom in wine consumption and production there are enormous and varied opportunities for anyone considering entering the wine trade.

First of all in the service industries, construction of five star hotels is mushrooming throughout Japan and China and there is an enormous shortage of trained personnel. Sommeliers, wine buyers, cavists and educators are in short supply and absolutely necessary for new properties.

Secondly, per capita consumption in Japan is 50th in the world at 2.5 liters per person per year in comparison with 13 to 15 for the United States. Wine consumption and production in China, although 7th or 8th by volume in the world, still represents only 3% of the alcohol market. What this means is that as the off premise market expands dramatically over the forthcoming years, there will be tremendous demand for qualified sales personnel.

Thirdly the production of quality wine is presently at a very primitive level throughout Asia. Domestic wine is actually mostly cheap imported bulk wine and the grapes that are grown in Asia are poor quality and almost entirely not usable for vinification. However both interest and modern agricultural research has demonstrated that it is now possible to make high quality grapes from local varietals to feed the worldwide boom in Asian cuisine. Not only is the quality there, but it is also economically viable. What this means there will be and already is significant investment in new wineries as well as in the planting of wine grapes. All of this demands talented motivated agricultural specialists as well as winemakers and oenologists.

Finally is the area of education. Wine in all its various dimensions demands trained people. Professional training by qualified experts is an absolute necessity and clearly the most immediate need in the marketplace. Up until now it has been only available in Japan and only for service personnel, but now the demand is throughout and Asia and across the entire spectrum of the wine industry.

Needless to say the entire continent is on the verge of a wine boom that has never been seen before. The reason is the emergence of a middle class that is already numbering in the hundreds of millions and has enormous amounts of disposable income. Furthermore the aging of society has created a large affluent stratum of people who have great amounts of leisure time and a serious need for quality of life products like wine.

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