Beaujolais Nouveau prices expected to nearly double in Japan

Jul 23 (Nikkei) - Japanese wine lovers may have to pay double last year's price for their Beaujolais Nouveau because of high freight and fuel costs, the weak yen and the fact that planes carrying the young wine must avoid Russian airspace as a result of the war in Ukraine.

Japanese wine merchants are reducing their orders this year, and cutting costs wherever possible, but the price increases are unavoidable.

"Beaujolais has usually been priced at 2,000 to 3,000 yen ($14.5-$21.8), but it will be nearly twice as expensive this year -- it is an abnormal situation," a beverage industry insider told Nikkei.

Suntory Holdings announced on July 5 its reference retail prices for Beaujolais Nouveau for 2022 -- 3,080 to 5,500 yen, which are 40% to 120% respectively higher than 2021. Suntory is also only offering eight wines this year compared to 15 previously.

Beaujolais Nouveau is sold from the third Thursday of November each year, which is the 17th this year.

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