Keith Martinez and Jerrel Brantley, co-founders of the boutique beer company Maison Rococo, fell in love with Japan during a trip to Tokyo in 2015. Enchanted by the country¡¯s culture of hospitality and cuisine, the two friends, who had met at the University of Chicago, sensed an opportunity.
¡°Sometimes when you¡¯re an outsider it¡¯s easier to notice things about society,¡± Martinez says. ¡°We noticed people were drinking a lot of beer ¡ª not just men, but women also.¡±
They began researching the Japanese drinks market. Eventually, they hit upon a problem that they believed they could solve: Despite the number of craft brewers in Japan, beer rarely showed up on menus at fine-dining restaurants.
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