Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/65124
COVER STORY The Battle Begins When TY KU launched in Las Vegas in 2007, the brand's founders, a couple of self-described "Japanophiles," approached the prospect of launching a line of premium sakés in the U.S. with two distinct goals in mind: First, the product would need to honor the Japanese tradition and cultural signifi- cance of saké; second, it would need to open the category to a U.S. audience. "We started this company out of our deep respect for the culture and heritage of Japan, and a real desire to bring the best of The East to The West," explains Andrew Chrisomalis, one of the brands founding partners. "But there was also a real need to demystify Japanese sakés and spirits for the American consumer." Faced with a challenge to both respect and modify tradition, TY KU's flagship product was its innovative Citrus Liqueur, made from soju and a variety of traditional Japanese flavors (Extraordinary Tip Number Three: Soju/shochu is the number one distilled spirit in the world, and TY KU Soju is crafted from Japanese barley). With its With eye-catching bottle shape that rises off the backbar and branding in English, TY KU has made saké accessible to the U.S. audience. illuminated pyramid-tower bottle glow- ing a vibrant and eye-catching green, TY KU Citrus Liqueur would become a beacon for the brand as it shifted gears to focus on its true mission: demystify- ing saké. Southern Wine and Spirits Director of Mixology Francesco Lafranconi has been a longtime saké evangelist, and credits TY KU's influence on the category for the industry. "When bartenders get the kind of education the TY KU team is provid- ing, they begin to understand the DNA of the product," he says. 50 / the tasting panel / may 2012 Since its introduction in the United States, one of saké's biggest hurdles was a simple language barrier: Brand names and labels had long been printed in only Japanese, leaving the uninitiated English-speaking consumer not only in the dark about exactly what they were drinking, but also in a difficult position to remember which sakés they may have liked so they could order them again. So when TY KU launched with English-language bottles and a pronounceable, memorable brand name that demands repeat calls, saké was suddenly scrutable. "We were the first ones out there to market saké like a spirit company," explains Tara Fougner, Director of Marketing for TY KU. Fougner likens saké's ascent to that of tequila, a category that was also once largely misunderstood and rose to commercial prominence by Americanizing the language and branding on the bottle. "We made a conscious decision to go with an Americanized name in English characters, because it simply made sense. We had to think outside of the box to innovate the category." Amassing a TY KU Army Decipherable branding was the first step on TY KU's path to saké stardom, but it would take more than a catchy name to truly burst through the fog surrounding the category. "It all starts with the saké, with what's in the bottle," admits Fougner. "We're here to bring authentic Japanese saké to the American consumer, first and foremost." PHOTO: DANIELLE "DEED" DEBRUNO