Amazake, which literally means “sweet alcohol, is a traditional fermented rice beverage that has been popular in Japan since ancient times. Since its founding in 1771, the company has been working together with local farmers to produce koji rice malt—the key element of amazake—using quality rice, soybeans and wheat flour sourced locally. And all the while, the company has stayed true to the traditional koji manufacturing methods in producing various products including amazake, miso and soy sauce. However, both the company and local farmers faced numerous challenges due to the spread of harmful rumors following the nuclear accident caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, which seriously affected sales of ingredients and products even they were produced to safe standards. Against such backdrop, the company has focused on the fact that people were rediscovering the values of Japan’s traditional fermented foods. As a long-established koji manufacturer, they have embarked on production of Fruit Amazake series with the hope to make the local farmers happy by encouraging consumption of the delicious rice and fruits they produce. In this way, the amazake series was first launched locally in 2012 ahead of other regions in Japan. While amazake has become a trend couple of years after that, Fruit Amazake series is made using 100% domestically-produced ingredients without adding fragrance or sugar. Instead, abundant fruit pulp and juice are mixed in the additive-free rice koji amazake to bring out a well-balanced natural sweetness of the koji and acidity of the fruits. The grains of rice koji are strained until smooth to make it easier to drink while being safe for pregnant women, children and elderlies as the beverage is straight and non-alcoholic.