Two-year challenge to the Osaka Hyohin Project

Osaka Product Project hosted by the Osaka Industrial Promotion Agency

I am now able to participate in the 12th class.

The Osaka Product Project is a program that supports creators, such as manufacturing companies and producers in Osaka, in delivering their skills, traditions, and passion as products to users. We support market expansion through promotions at experiential stores.
From Osaka Industrial Promotion Agency

I also applied for the previous 11th class, but at the time, I was in the process of applying for a license and did not have one, so I was not selected.

I later heard that I was very close to being selected, but the lack of a license was a hurdle, so I was rejected. This time, I decided to try again.

Last time, I applied with fruit doburoku, but this time, I brought an upgraded sake, a fukurozuri-style clear sake with strawberry flavor, which seemed to have been a good decision, and I was successfully selected.

Apparently, a few other companies besides our brewery were selected, but we haven't had any interaction yet, though I'm sure we will eventually.

Looking at past successful applicants, it seems our brewery is the first sake brewery, or rather, the first sake, to be selected.

About the Entry Screening

First, it starts with an application, where you showcase what kind of product you want to make.

The content is then screened in a first round, and successful applicants proceed to the second round, the entry screening, where they give a presentation.

There, you present your company's product to the people in charge.

You explain your passion for making the product for about 10 minutes.

Since the first round passed, the next step is the presentation.

The presentation consisted of me speaking for about 10 minutes, followed by a Q&A session.

During that time, there was an opportunity for them to taste the product.

First, I focused on refining the content, such as what to talk about and how to promote the sake, and prepared thoroughly to deliver it within about 10 minutes.

Presentation Day

Despite intending to speak based on the materials I brought, I was nervous and couldn't speak well, stuttering at times, and the result was far from satisfactory.

However, the sake brewed specifically for this day was of very good quality, so I confidently let them taste it.

Perhaps because of its quality, the judges also seemed to have a good impression.

Afterward, they also tasted the sake lees from the fukurozuri process, which also received a positive reception.

Last time, due to insufficient preparation, the content was reportedly good, but the lack of a license was the reason for failure.

However, this time I had a license and was able to bring a solid product, so I was successfully able to participate.

I'm really looking forward to participating in support activities twice a month and exhibitions from now on.

Future Plans

When I obtained my license, I had the strong feeling that I would be making sake from then on! But now, I also need to think about how to sell it and product development.

Also, auspiciously, on the morning of the presentation day, my first sake, "Sakemai Fuwari Risshun (Strawberry Flavor)", sold out.

It hasn't even been a month since the website was created, and only one type of product was sold.

I am nothing but grateful to the person who purchased it.

From now on, as a member of the 12th class, I hope to enjoy interacting with many different people.