Four Fox Saké Launches With EMW In China
Sleek, modern, disruptive sake brand Four Fox Saké is launching with leading wine, sake and craft spirit importer and distributor East Meets West in China this June.
It will join a growing portfolio of premium sake producers as East Meets West expands this category alongside its excellent array of premium, family-owned wineries including Chateau de Beaucastel, Catena Zapata, Chapoutier, Vietti, Planeta and Craggy Range to name but a few. EMW is now exclusively distributing more than 900 labels from 16 different countries to luxury hotels, gastronomic restaurants, high-end retail chains, online shops, wholesalers, distributors and private customers in more than 160 cities in China. They have been awarded “Best Wine Importer” for 10 consecutive years since 2011 by China Sommeliers Challenge/WINE 100 Challenge.
Four Fox Saké is, likewise, shaking things up in the sake category and quickly becoming the world’s most recognizable and memorable brand of sake. Having launched to great applause in Hong Kong, S.Korea, the U.S. and the U.K., the Fox is now turning its head to China and is partnering with EMW to build its brand and distribution across the region.
“Ever since we met the EMW team at Vinexpo Shanghai 2019, we knew that we wanted to work with them,” says Michael Campion, Managing Director of Four Fox Saké. “We’re delighted that they share our vision for a modern and exciting saké brand in China, and believe them to be the best possible partner to realise our potential.”
“The first time I came to know Four Fox Saké, I was deeply impressed by its unique tasting profile and exquisite modern design,” says Olivier Six, COO at EMW Fine Wines. “Covid-19 postponed our collaboration but I’m really glad that we are now starting our cooperation and can’t wait to taste Four Fox Saké in our partner venues. We’re proud of being part of an incredible, fast-growing market, where opportunities are huge for the sake category.”
Here to challenge the status quo, Four Fox Saké aims to elevate sake to the timeless status it deserves, by moving it beyond its current arena in Japanese restaurants, and into the world’s leading bars and nightclubs. “Four Fox Saké was born because sake as a product category is underrated and untapped, compared to vodka, whisky, or Champagne for example”, explains Neil Hosie, Co-Founder of Four Fox Saké. “We believe there is a huge opportunity to truly celebrate sake and position it in a class of its own.”
The branding seamlessly blends Japanese mythology with contemporary, aspirational lifestyle, paying respect to Inari Okami, the Japanese god of rice, sake (with rice as its core ingredient), swordsmiths (the bottle has the shape of a Katana carved into its profile) and foxes. The foxes are said to be the sworn protectors of the Torii Gates separating Earth from Heaven and allowing only the purest spirits to pass. This promise is kept by Four Fox Saké as its four foxes are the guardians of a sake made from Osaka snowmelt water and rice polished away to 50% of its original size, all coming together to form the highest official designation for sake: Junmai Daiginjo. When night falls, the bottle lights up with an ice-blue beam that shines through the bottle’s central crest and its two blades, ensuring the perfect positioning for premium bottle sales in the world’s leading bars and clubs.
As a zero sugar, zero additive and low alcohol (16%) product, compared to many spirits, Four Fox Saké is incredibly pure and slots perfectly into the global trend for “low and no” that can be seen at work also in the China market. In addition, it is highly versatile in terms of its different serves: neat or in cocktails, at room temperature or well chilled.
“Sake, though still a small category globally, has experienced constant year on year growth in the past decade in export markets, with volume doubling since 2006 and value more than doubling!” says Nimbility Founding Partner Ian Ford. “China is growing even faster than other areas, already taking over Hong Kong in terms of volume in 2020, and likely to exceed in value in 2021, positioning it as sake’s primary export market. The timing is therefore perfect to build a premium brand such as Four Fox Saké in China. Partnering with a leading company as serious and professional as EMW for the import and distribution of the brand is the first major step towards this goal and the Nimbility team is incredibly excited to be working with both Four Fox Saké and EMW to make this vision a reality.”
For purchasing Four Fox Saké in China please contact knight.hu@emw-wines.com