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Private company

Choya Umeshu

Logo: choya.com3

Japanese liqueur company

Choya Umeshu Co., Ltd. (チョーヤ梅酒株式会社, Chōya Umeshu Kabushiki-gaisha), or Choya, is a Japanese company headquartered in Habikino, Osaka, Japan, which specializes in the production and sales of umeshu plum liqueur. Its other main businesses include brandy, sake, wine, and foods. The company started producing umeshu in 1959.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1914Founded1

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CHOYA (Head Office)
Photo: W236 at Japanese Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

Choya Umeshu Co., Ltd. (チョーヤ梅酒株式会社, Chōya Umeshu Kabushiki-gaisha), or Choya, is a Japanese company headquartered in Habikino, Osaka, Japan, which specializes in the production and sales of umeshu plum liqueur. Its other main businesses include brandy, sake, wine, and foods. The company started producing umeshu in 1959. As of 2011, the company's products are distributed to more than 60 countries.2

The story

1914: Started cultivating grapes.

1924: Company was established by Sumitaro Kondo. Started producing and selling wine.

1949: Started producing and selling brandy.

1951: Started producing and selling fruit wine.

1959: Started producing and selling ume fruit liqueur.

1962: Establishment of Choya Yoshu Jozo Co., Ltd.

1968: Started producing and selling medicinal herbal liqueur. Started exporting ume fruit liqueur.

1973: Started producing and selling medicinal liqueur.

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2000: The company was renamed Choya Umeshu Co., Ltd.

2009: Launched a cosmetic brand "Choya Puranasu" as a mail-order product

2010: Company changes its logo to "Choya".

From Wikipedia’s article on Choya Umeshu, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Products and brands

Main products

Choya Umeshu

Choya Soda

Choya Soda 0% (Non-alcoholic soda)

Choya Sarari

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Choya Excellent (Monde Selection, Grand Gold Quality Award)

Choya Kokuto Umeshu (Monde Selection, Gold Quality Award) However, Monde Selection awards are non-competitive and only products that pay to enter are judged.

Production facilities

Osaka Honsha Factory (Habikino, Osaka)

Osaka Kawamukai Factory (Habikino, Osaka)

Kishu Factory (Tanabe, Wakayama)

Iga Ueno Factory (Iga, Mie)

From Wikipedia’s article on Choya Umeshu, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1914Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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    Company websiteChoya Umeshu logo
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