Sake consumption continues to surge in the U.S. market. Category depletions advanced by 12% in 2010, and last year’s shipments jumped by 19% to 2.55 million cases, according to Impact Databank. While competitively-priced domestic offerings like market leader Sho Chiku Bai (whose core Nigori entry sells for $7.99 a 750-ml.) and Sidney Frank Importing Co.’s Gekkeikan (whose leading Haiku edition sells for $13.99 a 720-ml.) comprise the lion’s share of the fast-rising U.S. sake market, the higher-end import segment is also achieving double-digit gains.
via Shanken News Daily.
