Sakura Sake Shop participated with high expectations of connecting with numerous importers, restaurant owners, and sake business professionals. We were able to experience firsthand the excitement and potential of Spain's sake market, which exceeded our expectations.
This article shares our exhibition report from Spain along with valuable sake market insights.
Current State of Spain's Sake Market
You might wonder, "Is sake really accepted in Spain?"
While the market size is still modest, Spain ranked 17th by value and 18th by volume in Japan's 2024 sake export statistics. More importantly, compared to 2023, Spain showed growth of 132% by value and 122% by volume.
Additionally, the globally popular brand "Dassai" is already well-recognized in Spain and was readily available for purchase during our stay in Madrid.
Why We Participated in Spain's "Iberkanpai" Exhibition
We decided to exhibit in Spain because it represents an unexplored market for us within Europe, and we had sensed growing demand for sake through preliminary seminars.
Furthermore, considering the recent buzz around Japanese cuisine and sake throughout Europe, we believe that Spain will undoubtedly see sake's reach expand significantly in the near future.
About "Iberkanpai"
Iberkanpai was Spain's first comprehensive sake and Japanese food culture promotion event, held on May 12-13, 2025. Despite being inaugural, it attracted 650 industry professionals over two days, clearly demonstrating Spain's enthusiasm for sake.
Exhibitors included Japanese sake brewers, exporters, and food manufacturers, while Spanish importers and distributors also participated. Attendees consisted of restaurant professionals, sommeliers, importers, and distributors—primarily from Spain, though we also saw participants from the Netherlands, Portugal, and France.
3 Real Insights from the Exhibition Revealing Spain's Market Potential
Here are the key observations and discoveries from our experience at the Spanish exhibition.
Exceptionally High Sake Literacy
What surprised us most was how knowledgeable the attendees were about sake.
Many visitors understood technical terms like "yamahai(山廃)", "kimoto(生酛)", "nama genshu(生原酒)", and "koshu(古酒)"—terminology that even many Japanese people outside the industry wouldn't know. We were impressed by their detailed understanding of production methods as well.
Strong Interest in Distinctive Products
While food-pairing sake types are extremely popular in Japan, Spain seems to prefer more impactful products over such styles.
We sense that acidic and characterful types, rich flavors, and relatively niche products that appeal to connoisseurs have the potential to become widely loved in Spain.
Here are some examples of the products we exhibited:
Including 9 additional products, we displayed a total of 13 sake with quite different flavor profiles, gaining valuable insights into Spanish taste preferences.
If you're an importer or restaurant professional interested in learning more details, please feel free to contact us.
Importance of Food Pairing
Since many attendees were restaurant and hospitality professionals and sommeliers, there was significant emphasis on food pairing and mariage.
Restaurant professionals, whether from Japanese establishments or creative fusion restaurants, showed strong interest in sake as a new signature offering. We received many questions about food compatibility, and we observed attendees thoughtfully tasting sake while considering how it would match with their restaurant's cuisine.
Conclusion
Despite Spain's deep-rooted wine culture, this business trip made us truly feel sake's potential in the Spanish market.
While we had heard about the preference for distinctive flavors through preliminary seminars, experiencing this trend firsthand through direct feedback was an invaluable opportunity.
As mentioned at the beginning, we gained confidence that sake's popularity will undoubtedly grow throughout European countries.
Sakura Sake Shop has export experience in over 20 countries, including European markets. If you're an industry professional interested in expanding sake business in Spain or Europe, please don't hesitate to contact us.
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