Tsunan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Tsunan Town, Nakauonuma District, Niigata Prefecture; President & CEO: Kengo Suzuki) has officially joined the JOGURT project, a plant-based yogurt developed by FARM8 Co., Ltd. (Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture; President & CEO: Atsushi Kabasawa).
Through this collaboration, Tsunan Sake Brewery will initiate full-scale development of fermented food products centered on the upcycling of fresh sake lees.
At Tsunan Sake Brewery, we regard the preservation of quality—using freshly pressed sake lees exactly as they are—as a fundamental responsibility of the brewery. By applying a brewery-specific perspective to product development, we aim to bring the benefits of fermentation into everyday life in a form that is both sustainable and easy to continue.
Upcycling Sake Lees as a Circular Fermentation Business
Our goal is to redefine sake lees—traditionally considered a byproduct of sake brewing—not as surplus, but as a valuable resource, and to convert it into everyday value through the power of fermentation.
The concept is “Sake Brewery Yogurt”: a plant-based fermented food prepared according to brewery-quality standards and refined through local knowledge and collaboration.
By revitalizing sake lees generated through sake brewing and returning them to the daily dining table, we promote a circular use of regional resources—rice, water, natural cold energy from snow, and microorganisms—that have long been nurtured in the region.
What Is JOGURT?
JOGURT is a plant-based yogurt made from lactic acid–fermented sake lees, developed by FARM8.
- Uses sake lees exclusively from Tsunan Sake Brewery
- Made solely from sake lees; no dairy products used
- Re-fermented using the Uonuma strain, a lactic acid bacterium native to snowy regions of Japan, resulting in a mild acidity and yogurt-like flavor
- Can be enjoyed in the same way as plain yogurt, including with smoothies, granola, and various recipes
More information:
https://haccotogo.com/jogurt
Market Background
As health awareness continues to rise, interest in plant-based fermented foods is expanding globally.
JOGURT reimagines the traditional ingredient of sake lees as an everyday, edible staple. By jointly establishing preservation and supply systems at the brewery level, the project aims to achieve a balance of taste, continuity, and resource circulation.
Future Initiatives
- Standardization of Quality Preservation
Establish brewery-grade standards for sealing, refrigeration, and traceability of freshly pressed sake lees. - Product Development from a Brewery Perspective
Flavor design, portion and size variations, inclusion of recipe booklets or cards, and optimization of in-store consumer experience. - Regional Circular Model
Secure a stable supply and storage system for sake lees to sustainably build a cycle of producing → eating → continuing.
Representative Comments
Kengo Suzuki, President & CEO, Tsunan Sake Brewery
(MD, PhD in Agriculture)
“We approach this project from a research perspective, focusing on how to design reproducible deliciousness by leveraging the unique properties of the locally discovered ‘Uonuma strain’ of lactic acid bacteria. By visualizing the relationship between fermentation conditions and sensory outcomes, we aim to achieve both quality stability and safety. Through scientific validation of sake lees as a regional resource, we seek to establish a new standard suitable for everyday dining.”
Atsushi Kabasawa, President & CEO, FARM8 Co., Ltd.
“Our goal is to transform sake lees from a ‘wasteful resource’ into a food people can enjoy every day. By naturally circulating the regional gifts of rice, water, snow, and microorganisms, and through co-creation with Tsunan Sake Brewery—a producer rooted in local sake brewing—we will cultivate food choices that endure into the future, aligned with modern lifestyles.”
About FARM8 Co., Ltd.
- Company Name: FARM8 Co., Ltd.
- Representative: Atsushi Kabasawa, President & CEO
- Address: 3662 Raikoji-Maeda, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
- Website: https://farm8.jp
About Tsunan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.
- Company Name: Tsunan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.
- Representative: Kengo Suzuki, President & CEO
- Address: 7141 Akinari, Tsunan Town, Nakauonuma District, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
- Website: https://tsunan-sake.com/
