Sake School of America

What Sake School of America does

Sake School of America (SSA), founded in 2013 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is a specialized beverage education institution focused on sake, shochu, and Japanese liquors. The school delivers credentialed courses through an instructor-led model built around approximately 12 instructors, including co-founder and Master Sake Sommelier Toshio Ueno. Its curriculum is aligned with four major international certification bodies — the Sake Service Institute (SSI), the Japan Sake Association (J.S.A.), the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), and Sake World Master (SWE) — and SSA holds Approved Program Provider status with each.

The core product portfolio consists of tiered certification courses priced between $450 and $1,400, including Sake Adviser ($475), Shochu Adviser ($475), WSET Level 2 Sake ($800), WSET Level 3 Sake ($1,200), the J.S.A. Sake Diploma ($475-$1,400), and the International Kikisake-shi ($1,100). Complementary revenue streams include merchandise (textbooks at $50-$60, branded T-shirts at $60), ticketed industry forums (e.g., Kikisake-shi Forum at $400), the Brewery Spotlight webinar series, and a YouTube content channel. The school also delivers bespoke B2B seminars for institutional clients including JETRO, the Japan National Tax Agency, and Johnson & Wales University.

The business model is a hybrid of direct-to-consumer individual enrollment and institutional B2B contracts, distributed through SSA's own website and supported by its affiliation with Mutual Trading Co., Inc., a major U.S. Japanese-beverage importer. Go-to-market combines scheduled in-person classes (primarily Los Angeles), online webinar delivery, and increasingly international programming, with 2024 expansion into Argentina. There is no evidence of outside venture funding; the operation appears self-funded and bootstrapped, consistent with a niche content-and-credentialing business.

Name

Sake School of America

Legal name

Sake School of America Inc.

Website

https://sakeschoolofamerica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sake School of America is a Los Angeles-based beverage education institution founded in 2013 that delivers credentialed sake, shochu, and Japanese liquor certification courses to individual students and institutional clients, accredited by WSET, SSI, J.S.A., and SWE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Course Fees - Sake Adviser: In-person and online sake adviser certification courses at $475 per student. Primary revenue driver.
2. Course Fees - Advanced Certifications: J.S.A. Sake Diploma ($475-$1,400), International Kikisake-shi ($1,100), WSET Level 3 in Sake ($1,200), WSET Level 2 courses ($450-$800). Premium pricing for advanced certifications.
3. Merchandise: Sale of sake-themed merchandise including limited edition t-shirts ($60) and textbooks ($50-$60)
4. Event Registration: Registration fees for special events including Kikisake-shi Forum 2026 ($400)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sake School of America provides professional and enthusiast-level education, certification, and tasting instruction in sake, shochu, and other spirits, delivered through instructor-led classes and structured curricula. The school administers proprietary certifications (Sake Adviser, Shochu Adviser, International Kikisake-shi, SWE Beverage Specialist) and serves as a licensed provider of WSET and J.S.A. awards. It earns revenue primarily through course tuition, certification exam fees, and supporting merchandise (textbooks and branded apparel).

Product overview

Sake School of America is an education and training center specializing in sake, shochu, and Japanese liquors. The company offers a portfolio of certification courses and educational products: the core Sake Adviser and Shochu Adviser certification programs (available in English, Japanese, and Chinese); WSET Level 1, 2, and 3 Award courses in Sake and Spirits; J.S.A. Sake Diploma from the Japan Sommelier Association; International Kikisake-shi (sake sommelier certification); and the SWE Beverage Specialist Certificate. Courses are delivered in online and in-person formats across locations including Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Mendoza, Argentina. Supporting products include textbooks and limited-edition branded merchandise. The company is endorsed by the Sake Service Institute International, WSET, Japan Sommelier Association, and Society of Wine Educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sake Adviser Certification Proprietary introductory sake certification course offered by Sake School of America, designed for hospitality professionals and enthusiasts seeking foundational sake knowledge.
• Shochu Adviser Certification Proprietary certification course in shochu, Japan's traditional distilled spirit, offered by Sake School of America for beverage professionals and enthusiasts.
• International Kikisake-shi (Sake Sommelier) Advanced proprietary sake sommelier certification awarded by Sake School of America, signaling expert-level proficiency in sake service, theory, and tasting.
• J.S.A. Sake Diploma Diploma program from the Japan Sommelier Association (J.S.A.), administered in the U.S. by Sake School of America for advanced sake professionals.
• WSET Level 1 Award in Sake Entry-level international sake qualification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), delivered in the U.S. by Sake School of America.
• WSET Level 2 Award in Sake Intermediate international sake qualification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), delivered in the U.S. by Sake School of America.
• WSET Level 3 Award in Sake Advanced international sake qualification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), delivered in the U.S. by Sake School of America.
• WSET Level 1 Award in Spirits Entry-level international spirits qualification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), delivered in the U.S. by Sake School of America.
• WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits Intermediate international spirits qualification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), delivered in the U.S. by Sake School of America.
• SWE Beverage Specialist Certificate Proprietary beverage specialist certification offered by Sake School of America, covering broad beverage knowledge beyond sake and shochu.
• Sake School of America Textbooks Printed educational textbooks sold by Sake School of America to support its certification courses and self-study.
• Limited Edition Sake Sommelier T-Shirt Limited-edition branded apparel item sold by Sake School of America to students, alumni, and sake enthusiasts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of students educated since 2013
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mutual Trading Co., Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and primary business affiliation. Mutual Trading Co. is the premier importer of craft sake into the United States. SSA instructors serve in roles at Mutual Trading Co., and the organization operates as an extension of the parent company's education initiatives. Noritoshi Kanai, founder of SSA, was former Chairman of Mutual Trading Co.
• Sake Service Institute (SSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSA is an approved program provider certified by the Sake Service Institute, the largest organization of sake sommelier certification in Japan. SSI provides certification standards and curriculum alignment for SSA courses including Kikisake-shi program.
• Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSA is an approved WSET Programme Provider offering WSET Level 1, 2, and 3 Awards in Sake and Spirits. WSET is a global leader in wine and spirits education, providing standardized curriculum and certification credentials.
• Japan Sommelier Association (J.S.A.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSA is endorsed by J.S.A. and offers the J.S.A. Sake Diploma certification program. J.S.A. is a major sommelier certification body in Japan.
• Society of Wine Educators (SWE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSA is endorsed by SWE and offers the SWE Beverage Specialist Certificate. SWE is a professional organization dedicated to wine and spirits education.
• One Tree PlantedminorOthersEnvironmental initiative where SSA donates $1 per student completing Sake or Shochu Adviser programs to tree planting. Donations made 3 times yearly (April, August, December). Trees planted in areas affected by deforestation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET): Global leader in wine and spirits education; SSA is an Approved Programme Provider. WSET delivers comparable structured certification courses (Levels 1–3) across beverages including sake, with a similar exam-prep curriculum model.
• Court of Master Sommeliers: Issues the Certified Sommelier and Master Sommelier credentials serving the same hospitality professional audience. While focused on broader beverage service, it is the closest U.S.-based analog for a tiered professional sommelier certification track.
• Cicerone Certification Program: Operates tiered beer certification (Certified Beer Server through Master Cicerone) with a similar model of training, exam preparation, and approved provider ecosystem. Highly relevant structural analog despite beer-vs-sake category.
• Society of Wine Educators (SWE): U.S.-based professional body offering wine and beverage certifications including the Beverage Specialist Certificate SSA delivers. Overlapping instructor base and curriculum model; comparable in target customer (hospitality professionals and educators).
• Japan Sommelier Association (J.S.A.): Issuing body for the J.S.A. Sake Diploma that SSA delivers in the U.S. Comparable in mission (sommelier and sake education/certification) and partner-level alignment with SSA's curriculum.
• Sake Service Institute (SSI): Japan-based umbrella for sake sommelier certification, including the Kikisake-shi program SSA delivers. Direct counterparty in the same certification ecosystem; comparable in mission (sake education and certification) but operates as the issuing body rather than a regional provider.
• Texas Wine School: Houston-based wine and spirits education provider offering WSET and SWE courses. Listed as an SSA customer seeking sake curriculum expansion; directly comparable in offering format and location overlap (Houston).
• Wine School of America: U.S.-based provider of professional wine and spirits education with online and in-person formats. Comparable in business model (direct-to-consumer certification courses with WSET/SWE affiliations) and target customer (hospitality professionals and enthusiasts).

Emerging players

• UrbanSake.com: Founded by SSA instructor Timothy Sullivan, the first U.S.-focused sake blog and education site. Adjacent in audience and content focus (sake education in English), with overlapping instructor pool.
• BarSmarts (by Pernod Ricard): Online bartending and spirits certification program targeting hospitality professionals. Adjacent comparable in spirits education delivery model and audience, though narrower in scope (cocktail service).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLzGjFCK4oZyJ9AvgsXNQAg
• Facebookfacebook.com/sakeschoolofamerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sake-school-of-america

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sake School of America