CHOYA at 110: Reflecting on Key Moments of Our Legacy
09.19.2024 | Blog
On September 19th, 1914, CHOYA was born – not as an Umeshu company, but with a different vision. Our founder, Sumitaro Kondo, originally grew grapes and produced wine and brandy. Today, as we celebrate 110 years of craftsmanship and tradition, we reflect on the journey that brought us here, including the challenges we have faced and the milestones we have achieved along the way.
Path to Umeshu
Surprisingly, CHOYA did not always produce Umeshu. Initially, we were a wine and brandy producer. In 1957, Kondo decided it would be a good time to retire and travel to Europe like he always wanted to conduct wine research. At that time, Japan had strict regulations on wine imports, and European wines were rare in the country. During his travels, Kondo experienced the exceptional quality of European wines firsthand. He realized that the European wine market was well-established and competitive, and that it was only a matter of time before this competition would expand, putting CHOYA at risk in the future.
The Kondo family convened nightly, searching for a new direction. They sought a product that could only be made in Japan, could become popular internationally, and had a relatively untapped domestic market. That is when Kondo thought of Japan’s beloved Umeshu.
Umeshu or Give Up
Kondo urged his sons to invest everything into making Umeshu, telling them that if they could not succeed, they should give up altogether. They agreed, and that is exactly what they did, and in 1959, they completed their first Umeshu product. However, the real challenge was still ahead – convincing liquor stores to carry it. Since Umeshu was traditionally homemade, many stores refused, doubting it would sell. Despite the skepticism, the Kondo family persevered, believing that “someday, the era for Umeshu will come”.
By 1965, CHOYA managed to get Umeshu into liquor stores, but sales did not look good. In 1972, CHOYA took a significant risk by investing in a TV commercial, hoping to generate more interest.
From Making to Buying
Finally, in 1975, sales for CHOYA’s Umeshu began to rise. Traditionally, it was the grandmothers who made Umeshu at home, but as families grew busier and more urbanized, people found it easier to buy than make. CHOYA’s presence in commercials became familiar, and demand for pre-made Umeshu increased. After 15 long years of persistence, CHOYA successfully created a new market for Umeshu.
Time for Expansion
CHOYA’s dream for international expansion took shape in 1985 when we began exporting Umeshu to Europe. Although Ume (commonly confused with plum) was relatively unknown there, CHOYA introduced Umeshu through tasting events and educating locals, which led to establishing CHOYA Umeshu GmbH in Germany by 1990. Further expansions followed: Shanghai China in 1995, and CHOYA Umeshu USA Inc. in 1998.
The Future of CHOYA
As we look to the future, CHOYA remains committed to innovation while honoring its traditions. Step by step, CHOYA will continue to make great strides toward realizing the dream of “introducing the Japanese Ume to the rest of the world”. We will do so by continually working with Ume farmers to discover “the power of Ume” and deliver it to the world.
Subscribe Our Newsletter
If you're interested in staying updated with the latest news and offers from CHOYA USA, consider becoming a subscriber to our newsletter.