History of choya
To discover “the power of ume” and deliver it to the world. This is our mission.
CHOYA started as a viticulturist on a family farm in 1914, eventually using the grapes to produce wine and brandy. However, the company decided to produce Umeshu in 1959 because the family dreamed of inheriting a culture and tradition that was unique to Japan. Since then, thanks to CHOYA’s passion for ume cultivation shared by our Japanese farmers, we have committed to deliver high quality and reliable products that our customers can trust and enjoy.
Many centuries ago, our Japanese ancestors discovered “the power of ume”. Seeking health and deliciousness, they researched and improved upon hundreds of ume varieties, eventually making Japan the biggest consumer of this fruit in the world. It is in the course of these historical times when the beloved “ume liquor” was born. While originally made by Japanese families at home, both sugar and alcohol used for steeping ume greatly evolved over time. In order to better extract full ume components, the alcohol changed from sake to shochu spirit and the sugar became rock sugar.
The Umeshu making culture in Japan as well as years of CHOYA’s research and development resulted in the product series we call “The CHOYA”. Every bottle of “The CHOYA” uses large amounts of high-quality ume. Furthermore, without exposure to light and air under temperature-controlled conditions, our unique aging method allows them for a full retention of important ume components such as organic acids. The delicious tang and the rich aromas of this nature’s gift of ume are now highly regarded around the world.
As a pioneer and leading producer of Umeshu, CHOYA with the slogan “The power of ume” will continue to deliver high quality products that bring joy to everyone around the world. To that end, we believe that pursuing to find new values for “ume” through continuous effort and change is the greatest contribution to our customers.
THE CHOYA QUALITY
Commitment 1: Nothing Artificial
CHOYA does not use any artificial additives in any of our products, such as acidulants, flavourings, or colourings. As the leading producer of Umeshu, we are committed to the pursuit of unfailingly high quality and authenticity in all our products. It takes at least one year of aging to produce CHOYA Umeshu. This careful maturation ensures that the essential ingredients can be fully extracted from the ume fruit. Our slow aging process allows CHOYA to produce authentic Umeshu with the best possible taste and aroma every time.
Commitment 2: Quality Always
Japan has four distinct seasons, each of which is essential for a rich ume harvest. CHOYA uses only a few varieties of Japanese ume from the several hundred which exist in Japan today. Nanko-ume, from Wakayama, is a premium variety with plump flesh and high acidity, making it particularly suitable for Umeshu production. Thanks to the decades of experience and expertise in ume cultivation shared by our Japanese farmers, at CHOYA we can be sure we are using only the highest quality ume fruit in the world. These two commitments are at the very heart of the CHOYA philosophy. They are what drives the CHOYA team to continually strive to deliver the ultimate in authentic and delicious Umeshu, made with devotion, to you.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
