"Turning the coronavirus into a blessing"
I always hope that I can say that when I look back on it later.
Don't just sit around waiting for the storm to pass, use it as an opportunity to challenge yourself to move forward.
Taking this COVID-19 crisis into consideration, we created a New Zealand wine shop called Bokumo Wine and renovated the interior of the store.
At this point, I'm not sure if this decision was a good one or not, but I think the biggest benefit was that I was able to have the mindset to take on challenges .
So when I see people like me who are trying to turn things into blessings, I can't help but want to support them.
A while ago, a takeaway fried chicken shop opened in my neighborhood. From the perspective of the food and beverage industry, I wondered if they would be able to do it, since it is a business that has already been beaten down, but I guess the person who opened it thought they had an opportunity to take advantage of the stay-at-home demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They opened a new store on a brand new plot of land, built a nice storefront, a parking lot, and a big sign. I think the investment was over 20 million yen.
I really felt that I wanted to turn it into good fortune. The taste was good, so I used to go buy it about once a month, but unfortunately the store closed down the other day.
After all, restaurants are difficult. It's even more difficult when you try to do something trendy. I'm sure the people who did it thought, "Now is the chance." I understand that feeling all too well.
Once again, I realized that when making a big decision, you have to consult with many people around you, even if you face strong opposition, and still have a strong desire to do it, and you have to be determined to go for it.
There are people like me in my university class too.
I moved to Ishigaki Island during the COVID-19 pandemic and now run a workcation hotel called Shima no Toki and a travel agency called Ishigakijima Suki Suki Tours .
It seems like they are taking advantage of the situation now, anticipating a recovery in tourism.
In his case, he left a major advertising agency early and took the opportunity to seize the "opportunity now." Well, I think it will probably work out.
I hope someday I can do some workcation on Ishigaki Island with a glass of New Zealand wine in hand.
Another service I've been wanting to support lately is "nohaco," a subscription service that delivers your favorite snacks every month .
First, you answer a questionnaire about your preferences online, which is then analyzed by AI. From the following month, you will receive a personalized selection of snacks.
I think this is a service unique to the coronavirus pandemic, anticipating the establishment of drinking at home.
The person behind the scenes is a friend of our co-representative, Sato, so he told us about this service and we decided to give it a try.
This is quite interesting.
First of all, the snacks that arrived looked really stylish. I'm sure they were trying to create a slightly unusual mood because we were drinking at home.
And all six of the types were indeed to my liking. They had a firm texture, weren't sweet, and went well with wine, and all of the other criteria were met. AI diagnosis is amazing.
I also agree with the idea of a service created by a long-established snack specialty store and a web production company. That's because Bokumo Wine was created by me, a sommelier who is knowledgeable about New Zealand wine, and Sato-san, who is good at web design. The origins are very similar.
The only difference is that nohaco is characterized by the fact that AI selects the products, while Bokumo Wine selects the products entirely by hand.
The "Omakase Set", Bokumo Wine's best-selling product, is a very analog process in which we peer at the data of past purchases, trying to avoid overlaps as much as possible, but also making sure to include customers' preferences.
I can't say which is better, but in the case of Bokumo Wine, I'm using my computerized intuition, which I've always used to choose wines by asking customers about their preferences in restaurants. But I think that in the future, we may see a time when AI will be able to make better selections.
By the way, selecting the "Omakase Set" is the most fun part of my job at Bokumo Wine. Today, I will be selecting the "Omakase Set" that has been ordered.
I'll be grinning from ear to ear as I imagine the look on their faces when they open the box, saying, "Oh, so that's how it is!" or "Wow, there's something like this!"
Ah, this feeling of joy is already a blessing!
This week's pairing
Of all the snacks sent by nohaco, this one in particular was the perfect match for wine.
Roasted cashew nuts.
I recommend pairing it with a milder white wine rather than the Sauvignon Blanc that the New Zealand representative prefers.
Mahi Marlborough Chardonnay 2018
It's a barrel-aged natural wine. The grapes used are Chardonnay . It's a super simple pairing of a nutty wine with nuts. We're from the same hometown, so we get along well.
