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Japanese whisky

Nikka’s Hokkaido distillery is the temple of Japanese whisky. However fascinating, the brand is lost in a time-warp

Hokkaido is the crystal jewel in Japan’s crown. I confess it’s one of my favourite parts of the country. Besides winter sports, flowers (Furano & Makkari) and of course food in abundance, Hokkaido is home to one of Japan’s first whisky distilleries. Established in 1934, Nikka whisky is produced in Yoichi, a small town to …

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Ricky Gervais

Gervais’s ‘The Office’ eyes Saudi Arabian expansion

A Saudi version of hit comedy show The Office is reportedly in the works. I tend to blog about consumer goods businesses but this example of a creative product expanding internationally caught my eye. It is also an interesting case study in adapting a winning formula to diverse cultures. Branded El Maktab, the Saudi version …

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Join me at the EU-Japan centre webinar!

Interested in exporting to Japan? The EU-Japan commissioned me and my colleague Hiro Tsujioka to write a report on the marketing challenges in Japan and we’ll be giving a webinar on this topic tomorrow. Details are here! Please join us!

Searching for a masterclass in building a category from scratch? Ask India’s Sushi & More!

Most Japanese companies wanting to do business internationally traditionally look first across the Pacific to North America, second to South East Asia and China, or third Europe. India has not traditionally been a consideration.  Japanese food companies may have been missing a trick. India of course has a huge population and burgeoning middle class, many …

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