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July 2005The growing popularity of vinegar drinks

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Vinegar-based drinks have recently experienced a huge surge in popularity in Japan. Over the past few years, they have become one of the fasted-growing markets,

to the point of now being the fourth-largest category within the functional beverage industry. According to Japan’s leading vinegar producer, Mizkan Group Co., the market for vinegar drinks was ¥21.46 billion (£110 million at an exchange rate of ¥196) between March and August 2004, compared to ¥7.57 billion (£3.8 million) for the same period in 2000.

Scientific research published over the past two years has shown that the acetic acid in vinegar is effective in lowering diseases such as high blood pressure, a common complaint in Japan due to stressful lifestyles.

There are currently three main types of vinegar-based drinks, based on different ingredients: kurosu (or black vinegar drinks), moromisu (based on vinegar made from moromi, a by-product of Awamori, Okinawa’s traditional sake), or fruit vinegar drinks.

Purple-fleshed sweet potato vinegar drinks

Black vinegar and moromisu drinks

The popularity of kurosu has grown since the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Ministry established standards for products which could be called ‘black vinegar’ in 2004. An additional attraction of black vinegar drinks is that they taste better than ordinary vinegars, making them easier to drink.

Moromisu was originally a local delicacy from Okinawa, but has since become popular throughout Japan thanks to its high concentration of citric acid, amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

The most popular vinegar-based drinks, however, are those made with fruit vinegars. These are madefrom fermented fruits and are then diluted with water. They now come in many flavours, including apple, grape, raspberry, lychee, cranberry, mango, blueberry and sweet potato. These drinks are especially popular among young women in their twenties and thirties.

Vinegar-based drinks can be found in various department stores in

Japan, where they are sold by staff who call themselves ‘vinegar sommeliers’ and suggest to customers new ways of enjoying vinegar, such as combining it with ice cream or yogurt.

The continuous development of new flavours and ready-to-drink ‘vinegar waters’ – where the vinegar is already mixed with water – suggest that these products will be popular for a long time.