From his home south of Hobart, Island Coast Spirits founder Kirk Pinner collects rainwater in 22,000-litre tanks. This becomes part of a range of small-batch whiskies, vodkas and gins designed to evoke a strong sense of place.
‘I look out and there are native trees and bush and beyond that the ocean,’ Pinner says. ‘Due south is Antarctica. We have these beautiful, clean winds and rain coming in.’
This sense of place has become central to Island Coast Spirits’ entry into Japan – a market where provenance, quality and craftsmanship matter.
With support from the Tasmanian State Government and Austrade, Island Coast Spirits has secured an importer and sent its first shipment of around 500 bottles to Japan. The business is now laying the foundations for longer-term growth.
Gaining recognition in Japan’s crowded market
Japan’s appreciation of premium whisky meant it was part of Pinner’s export plans from the beginning. But he also believed Island Coast Spirits could offer something more than another label in a crowded category.
‘I knew the Japanese market is about quality and premium products,’ says Pinner. ‘I felt we had products that could match that, with something distinctive about where they came from.’
Before trying to secure sales, Island Coast Spirits began building recognition through the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition. Subsequent medals for its whisky and vodka gave the young brand an early measure of credibility in its target market.
‘Entering the awards was part of the build-up,’ says Pinner. ‘It showed that we were committed to Japan before we tried to export there.’
Telling Tasmania’s story takes time
Pinner first visited Japan in March 2024 as part of a Trade Tasmania mission to FOODEX Japan.
Supported by Trade Tasmania’s Japan advocate, he connected with key industry contacts and gained valuable insights into the market, including the importance of building long-term relationships in Japan. He also met Austrade representatives in Tokyo and began developing connections with prospective buyers and importers.
The visit reinforced advice he had received from Austrade, Trade Tasmania and people with experience in Japan: progress would be methodical and relationships would take time.
‘You can’t just sell to an importer and think the job is done,’ says Pinner. ‘You need to be in the country, helping to build the brand, and you need to keep coming back.’
Pinner returned to Japan in 2025 and again in April 2026 for the Yokohama Whisky & Spirits Festival. He is planning another visit for the Tokyo Whisky Festival in November 2026.
Between visits, he stays in touch with contacts every 6 to 8 weeks, sharing product news, awards and information about where Island Coast Spirits can be purchased locally.
Island Coast Spirits’ award-winning whiskies are making an impression in Japan.
From a meeting to a first shipment
At FOODEX Japan in 2024, Kirk met Marc Fuoti from importer Big Picture International. The first meeting created interest, but the turning point came later that year when a Trade Tasmania inbound mission brought international buyers to Tasmania.
Fuoti visited Island Coast Spirits and spent time with Pinner, learning more about the business and its range of more than 20 products.
‘At a trade show you can only bring a selection,’ says Pinner. ‘When Marc came to Tasmania, he could see that we had much more to offer.’
About 18 months of discussions and preparation followed. Island Coast Spirits refined its product selection, analysed pricing and considered how an emerging Tasmanian brand could compete on Japanese shelves.
The first shipment arrived in April 2026. It contained approximately 500 bottles across 80 cases, made up of 3 whiskies, 2 vodkas and 2 gins. The range was deliberate. Whisky provided a natural entry into Japan, while the vodkas and gins offered different flavours and more accessible price points.
‘It was one pallet, so it was a starting point,’ says Pinner. ‘But it allowed us to present 7 products and give customers a broader picture of the brand.’
A berry travelling home
Island Coast Spirits’ haksap berry gin brings the connection between Tasmania and Japan into a single product.
Haskap is a cold-climate berry that grows profusely in Hokkaido in northern Japan. The berries Island Coast Spirits uses, however, are grown in the far south of Tasmania – just 500 metres from Pinner’s home. When he discovered a neighbour was cultivating haksap berries, he saw the potential for a product that brought the landscapes of Hokkaido and Tasmania together.
After 3 months of experimentation, Island Coast Spirits created a pink gin made with the locally grown fruit and Tasmanian juniper. Pinner bottled the first release just 2 days before taking it to Japan in September 2025. Consumers responded to both its flavour and the story behind it.
‘A berry from northern Japan, grown in my little town in the far south of Tasmania and brought back to Japan in a Tasmanian gin,’ says Pinner. ‘I think that is a wonderful symbol of the relationship.’
Support to go further
Along with the Tasmanian State Government, Austrade has supported Island Coast Spirits at several points in its export journey. Early advice from Austrade helped Kirk understand the importance of awards and recognition in Japan. Austrade’s Tokyo team later provided market insights, introductions and support on the ground.
Island Coast Spirits also received support through the Export Market Development Grants program. For a small business exporting from an island state, freight and travel can create significant additional costs. Pinner says the grant reduced some of that pressure and allowed Island Coast Spirits to invest more confidently in developing the market.
‘Could I have done it without the grant? Maybe, but it would have been a real stretch,’ he says. ‘Knowing I could recover some of the cost meant I could do a little more.’
Growing patiently and carefully
Island Coast Spirits now plans to deepen its presence in Japan where its spirits are being sold by Big Picture International both online and through wholesalers before considering another export market.
The company aims to send a second pallet to Japan by the end of 2026, followed by its first container in mid-2027. Pinner does not intend to pursue another country for at least 18 months.
‘I’m not a massive producer, so I want to get Japan right,’ he says.
His advice to other small Australian exporters is to approach the Japanese market with patience – and to remain personally present after the first sale.
‘Find the right importer, but don’t expect them to build the market alone,’ says Pinner. ‘You need to keep showing up.’
For Island Coast Spirits, that means continuing to travel north – carrying with it a story shaped in Tasmania’s deep south.