Yanmar’s Sake Rice Project cultivates European market with local production

18 Mar 2024 --- Yanmar, an agricultural machinery company based in Japan, has introduced two varieties of sake rice suitable for growth within European climates through its Sake Rice Project. By blending tradition with innovation and fostering a sustainable approach to production, Yanmar is positioned to meet the global demand for the ancient Asian beverage.

The two new sake rice varieties, EuSake 01 and EuSake 02, are tailored specifically for European farmers. They cater to local sake production, minimizing the environmental impact of long-distance shipping and providing a more sustainable alternative to traditional sourcing methods.

Yanmar’s Sake Rice Project addresses the challenges of adapting sake rice to the European environment. Collaborating with the Italian Rice Experiment Station (IRES) in northern Italy, Yanmar’s team is developing new rice varieties customized to suit the local soil and climate conditions.

Yanmar R&D Europe agronomist Carolina Fabri says: “The Italian environment is pretty different from the Japanese. You need to have specific varieties [of rice] that need to be cultivated in specific soil and weather conditions.”

Embracing Asian culture
In Asian countries, rice wine is typically made by breaking down the starch and polysaccharides found in rice. This rice is grown in nations like China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Sake, a rice wine revered as Japan’s national drink, is rich in nutritional profile comprising sugars, amino acids, organic acids and aromatic compounds, according to research findings.

Local brewers, such as Gregoire Boeuf of Les Larmes Du Levant in France, have embraced the opportunity to integrate these European rice varieties into their brewing processes. 

“When you drink sake, you’re not only drinking a beverage — you are drinking history, you are drinking the cultural heritage,” he says.

 Different varieties of sake rice, malted rice, and yeast allow sake to be enjoyed in different ways.Boeuf highlights the integration of local ingredients as a means to enrich this tradition rather than dilute it. According to him, the adoption of European rice could diversify the sake market in Europe.

Navigating new changes
By fostering the growth of European sake rice, Yanmar is strategically pursuing a more economically viable and environmentally responsible approach within the beverage industry. Beyond enhancing the European sake experience, the company’s project addresses concerns about sustainability and carbon emissions. 

Despite European Union officials clearing Japanese sake from new regulations on food packaging this year, which would have hindered exports to the common market, importing the product has become increasingly expensive and carbon-intensive.

Also, after the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses in the F&B industry with a global presence have been adapting measures such as shifting focus toward local sourcing and pivoting toward direct sales.

The Tokyo Olympics, the rise of e-commerce and an increasing number of Japanese restaurants across Europe have all contributed to a larger demand for sake, and Yanmar’s Sake Rice Project is augmenting the European demand for this beverage.

By Sichong Wang