A U.S. Sake is Looking to Change the Way you Drink
Oishii wants to be your next low ABV BFF
Lower ABV (and no ABV) beverages are trending, with sales of low- or no-alcohol beverages increasing by 31 percent in 2024, according to The Food Institute.
While the lion’s share of sales belongs to beer, wine, and RTD beverages, sake is quickly taking its place in the U.S. beverage market. The New York Times published a story in 2023 that pointed to its remarkable growth in recent years.
One sake brewery, located deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville, Virginia wants to make sake as popular with Americans as beer and a cold glass of pinot grigio on a summer’s day.
Buzzy Sklar, a Miami-based restaurateur and the former CEO and founder of J.F. Haden’s Liqueur, has introduced Oishii Sake. The sake is brewed at North American Sake Brewery in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains using locally sourced mountain water and Arkansas titan rice.
The gluten-free, kosher sake — free from sulfites and artificial additives — is a beverage Sklar envisions as a better tasting (and maybe better for you) way to imbibe. Sklar not only offers Oishii sake in retro Midcentury-Modern styled bottles but also portable cans. In addition, the company is also developing a sake-based RTD spritzer using natural fruits like lychee, lemon, watermelon, lime, mango, and yuzu.
Sklar says that he’s always been a sake fan, but was mystified why there’s a certain lack of brand recognition in regards to the liquid. “I’ve always been a big sake fan, but I don’t think I’ve ordered the same bottle twice.” Sklar decided there was a need in the market for a well-branded and drinkable sake.
He went on a mission to find a U.S.-based sake brewery to partner with. “There are only about two dozen American sake breweries,” says Sklar, adding, “I tasted everyone’s product.”
He finally teamed up with Andrew Centofante, founder and head brewer at North American Sake Brewery to make and market Oishii Sake. “I wanted to see who was ready to grow and Andrew definitely wanted to expand the business. I told him, you make sake and I’ll take care of the rest.”
Sklar also has a unique marketing campaign. “I’m trademarking the better for you booze,” he says. While falling short of saying that drinking sake is healthy, Sklar does say that since sake has no sulfites and is free from additives, it makes him feel better. To hit this point home, Oishii hired a director of wellness to pair the sake with yoga retreats and wellness hotels. “If you’re going to drink, drink better,” says Sklar.
Sklar also wants people to think of sake as more versatile than something to sip with sushi or chug in a sake bomb. “There are sakiritas, sakitinis, sake and soda. Sake is great for the beach or a boat. Instead of grabbing a case of beer, I want people to buy a few bottles of sake.”
Right now, Oishii Sake is available to order online in 48 states and is available in-store in several states including California, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Bottles retail for about $29.99 and cans retail for about $10. RTD spritzers will be launched sometime soon. Order at oishiisake.com.