📈Current Situation as of July 2023
As of July 2023, the number of foreign visitors to Japan has recovered to 72.0% of pre-COVID 2019 levels, reaching 70% of the previous figure.
Indeed, there are more foreigners in the streets! This is especially noticeable in urban areas 😊
Furthermore, according to the Survey of Tourist Consumption Trends by Foreign Visitors to Japan announced by the Japan Tourism Agency for April-June 2023, consumption during this period was 1,205.2 billion yen, which is 95.1% of the same period in 2019.
This indicates that the spending by foreign visitors, known as inbound demand, is almost back to pre-COVID levels. 💴
In a time when consumption is declining due to population decrease, this is a very welcome situation, and many people see it as a business opportunity(^^)/
🥃One Cause of Whiskey Shortage: Inbound Demand
The recovery pace of consumption is faster than the number of foreign visitors because the average spending per foreign visitor is higher than before COVID-19.
Factors such as the weak yen have kept per-person spending at a high level. 💰
From the information above, it is clear that inbound demand is one of the causes of the shortage of Japanese-made whiskey.
As the number of foreign visitors increases, so does the demand for whiskey, resulting in a situation where the supply of Japanese-made whiskey cannot keep up. 📊
Thus, the current shortage of Japanese-made whiskey is largely due to increased demand not only from domestic consumers but also from foreign visitors.
In particular, whiskey is one of the products symbolizing Japanese culture and is popular among foreign visitors, and its demand is expected to continue to grow. 🌏🥃
🥃"Kakubin is priced at more than double the Japanese price" - Highball boom in Korea
Currently, "Japanese food" is attracting attention in Korea, and "highballs," whiskey mixed with soda water, are experiencing a huge boom, especially among young people ✨
The popularity of Japanese whiskey brands used in highballs has also soared.
In particular, Suntory's flagship brand "Kakubin" is gaining popularity, but what's noteworthy is its price. 🎉
A bottle (700ml) typically sells for around 40,000 won (approx. 4,400 yen), which is more than double the price in Japan, but it reportedly sells out as soon as it hits the shelves.
This is said to be influenced by the boom in "Japanese izakayas" in Korea, as well as Suntory's successful "highball strategy"!!😢
🥃Introducing affordable hidden gems that were overshadowed by super famous brands
The price increases and supply shortages of Japanese-made whiskey are a big problem.
We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused to our customers with all the news of price hikes and out-of-stock items😢
If I were to try to view this situation positively, I would see it as an opportunity to re-propose the appeal of affordable whiskeys from a new perspective 🙏
The truth is, there are still whiskeys that haven't increased in price.
There are wonderful whiskeys that were overshadowed by super famous brands like Kakubin, Reserve, and Royal, which have seen price increases or reduced availability! 😊
Every day, I look at the whiskey aisle,
thinking only about such things,
and that's how I came up with the whiskey diagnostic content(^^)/
※Click here for the whiskey diagnostic content(^^)
After adding us as a LINE friend, tap the menu on the chat screen ♡
"Delivering smiles to customers through alcohol"
May everyone find wonderful drinks ♥
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