Q: Please give a brief introduction about your company.
CHOYA has been passed down from the older generations as the quality of our plums and the way we continue to develop our product has gained attention worldwide. Our company’s Umeshu basically consists of plums, sugar and alcohol. We don’t add any souring agents, artificial sweeteners or additives to our recipe, that way we preserve the homemade taste.
Q: What would you do to spread the awareness of the traditional Japanese Umeshu in Australia?
We were thinking of adding the traditional Australian BBQs with some Japanese Umeshu, which sounds interesting.
Generally, Umeshu and Japanese food go really well together! It’s also a liquor as well so it also can be enjoyed in cocktails. When you look at the history of Umeshu, it was originally made at home so it can be considered as part of the Japanese traditional culture. Whenever you think of any traditional Japanese event, Umeshu is always recommended.
Q: What kind of Umeshu products would you develop in the future?
We have started to sell CHOYA soda since September but the same product goes by a different name in Japan and was very popular. This product would be best enjoyed during hotter climates such as Australia and CHOYA would definitely go great with soda.
Q: What kind of promotional activities can we hope to see from you during the Matsuri festival this year?
We will liven up the Matsuri’s festive atmosphere by bringing CHOYA soda, typical CHOYA classic, wine type Yume and non-alcoholic plume wine. You can try the Umeshu at the festival at our stall and we will also be selling bottles of our products so you can take it home and enjoy it with your family and friends.
Q: How would you recommend the best way of drinking Umeshu to Australians?
We recommend that you mix Umeshu with soda as it’s refreshing and easy to make even at home. Also since we are now in Summer, adding a hint of lemon or mint will definitely do the job! Moreover, Umeshu mixes very well with Gin so we recommend a 7:3 ratio of CHOYA to Gin and serve chilled to fully enjoy the taste!
Q: What are your future goals for overseas projects?
Our pursuit is to find the full potential of using our main ingredient: plums. We deliver our amazing plums to people all over the world so we can contribute to a fun healthy everyday life. We focus on developing our Umeshu products to make it more exciting for consumers to enjoy!
Q: Anything you would like to say to our viewers?
We would like to thank everyone for all the support! We are expecting it to be a hot and sunny day during the Matsuri event so it would be awesome if you guys all come and join us at the CHOYA stall and enjoy some delicious Umeshu Soda or juice to keep refreshed during the day!
Q: What does Matsuri mean to you?
In my hometown in Osaka, I go every year to the festival for CHOYA. So I’m excited to be a part of the Sydney Matsuri for this year.
Matsuri has been a part of Japanese culture since as long as I can remember. It would be great for everyone in Australia to experience and enjoy the Japanese culture through this year’s Matsuri.
Translator: Jimmy Lindeck
MATSURI JAPAN FESTIVAL SYDNEY 