Vision/Mission
Our mission is to produce and promote the finest Umeshu, made with only natural ingredients.
Business Description
More than half a century has passed since Choya began producing Umeshu. Choya is responsible for the development of Umeshu into a commercially viable product. Today, it is a brand with countrywide recognition, available across the whole of Japan and exported to over 60 countries worldwide.
Background
Choya was founded by the Kondo family in 1914, and at first focused on viticulture. After 10 years of growing wine grapes, Choya started producing wine. However, the sales were stagnating and there was no growth at all. Then after traveling to Europe, and in France specifically in places like Bordeaux and Bourgogne, Mr. Kondo found that wine prices there were surprisingly low. That is when he realized that Japanese wine would never be able to compete with overseas alcoholic beverages. So that’s why he decided to focus on beverages that could only be produced in Japan.
In 1959, the company made the historic decision to start production of Umeshu which, at that time, was produced individually by each family.
Today Choya has become largely synonymous with the traditional Japanese ume fruit liqueur. The company controls all production processes including the selection of ume, ageing, and blending. Although there are many brands on the market today, what makes Choya stand apart, however, is that the company goes much further, working with local ume growers to research and develop ume in organic soil ideally suited for use in umeshu. In fact, Choya is the biggest buyer of ume in Japan and probably the world.
This dedication is rooted in our strong sense of mission: to deliver delicious Umeshu, perfected in Japan's climate and culture, to the rest of world.
Products/Services
Choya main businesses are the production and sale of umeshu and ume fruit-related products.
An encounter with ume, a fruit grown in Japan to world-leading quality, led the company to begin developing a wide variety of products. We are determined to continue to exploit our boundless appetite for exploration and our impressive technical expertise, developed through pioneering research, in order to deliver outstanding products to consumers all around the world. Umeshu is the tool we have chosen to communicate the spirit of Japan to the rest of the world.
Markets
Choya products are still small in terms of market scale, however, we are currently exporting to over 60 countries worldwide.
Choya has already developed a significant presence in Europe and in Asia, and we are growing quite steadily in the US market as well.
In Asia right now we are targeting ethnically Chinese people. We are airing TV ads in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. We are convinced that these peoples are able to pass the Choya information on to other Chinese speaking nations, and even mainland China.
Industry
Choya is responsible for the development of umeshu into a commercially viable product and, today, is its biggest producer in Japan.
Not many companies produce authentic umeshu. Choya is not going to label products “umeshu” anymore because we are traditional and authentic. It is this traditionalism that really sets Choya apart. We use actual ume fruit. We negotiate with farmers to acquire semi-organic fruits. They are grown in organic soil, without chemical fertilizers
Location
The company headquarters is located in the south of Osaka, a short drive away from the renowned Kishu region in Wakayama prefecture, where most of premium Nanko Ume fruits come from and where Choya collects its harvest. This close location to the ume farmers ensures we get the freshest and the best quality fruit.
Choya has 4 manufacturing facilities as well as 7 branch offices across Japan. The company also has 5 affiliated companies overseas in Germany, Poland, the US, Singapore and China.
Competitive Advantages
What differentiates Choya from other companies is that the company is able to obtain fruits grown in the manner they want. Also Choya’s boundless appetite for exploration and the impressive technical expertise, developed through pioneering research, allows us to deliver outstanding products to consumers all around the world. It is the constant innovation that aids Choya to keep expanding globally.
Also that fact that umeshu originated in Japan and doesn’t exist in other countries is to the company’s advantage. So if Choya works further towards just informing and educating the customers, they’ll certainly gain market share and steadily grow their sales. If people like the taste and like the product itself, then Choya will be successful.
Highlights
1914 Started cultivating grapes by the Kondo family.
1924 Started producing and selling grape wine.
1959 Started producing and selling ume-fruit liqueur.
1962 Established Choya Yoshu Jozo Co., Ltd.
1968 Started exporting ume-fruit liqueur.
1990 Established Choya Yoshu Jozo GmbH in Dusseldorf, Germany.
1995 Opened Shanghai Branch, China.
1998 Established Choya Umesha USA Inc., San Francisco, USA.
2000 Changed company name to Choya Umeshu Co., Ltd.
2010 Established Choya Umeshu South East Asia Pte. Ltd., Singapore.
2014 Opened Warsaw Office, Poland.
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