Ramune, is probably the hottest thing to hit the shelf since sliced bread! Although it seems no one can pronounce it correctly. No need to roll the R. The E is not silent. And it is not a long U. I’ve heard customers ask to order this delicious Japanese soda pronounced in so many different ways. The correct pronunciation reads something like this [raw-ma-nay].
What Does Ramune Mean?
You may be asking, what does the word mean? Where does it come from? There is, actually, a rather simple answer to that. “Ramune” comes from “lemonade.” Ramune is the Japanese phonetic spelling of lemonade. The original carbonated lemonade drink, which was bottled the same way it is today with the marble seal, was introduced to Japan in 1884. Modern day Ramune is now a pop culture staple in Japan and quickly becoming one of the most popular drinks here in the United States. Stores sell out almost as quickly as the shelves are stocked.
Flavors
Raley’s is just one of the many retail locations which recognizes the value in Ramune, carrying it in all 7 flavors in the premium soda section and in the cold sets. Ramune comes in Original, orange, grape, melon, strawberry, peach, and lychee. Although every flavor is delicious, Strawberry is probably the favorite among all the flavors. If you’re a loyal customer and fan of Ramune, you are probably searching high and low as to where to find more of it, but so are retailers.
How COVID-19 has Affected Supply
There is an absolute shortage of Ramune in the United States right now. Finding Ramune on the shelves anywhere is almost impossible. Why? COVID-19 is why! In the last year, many businesses and manufacturers have suffered do to the conditions under which this virus has restricted operations. Ramune, or our access to it, was no exception to the plight. The regulations and restrictions in how we do business and operate to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has affected everything. Including shipping and importing goods.
Importing Ramune
Ramune is imported to us from Japan on cargo ships. The shipping containers, due to COVID-19 restrictions, are taking much longer than usual to unload at the ports of entry. This has caused our ports to be back logged so severely that distributors, like us here at Blue Dog Beverage, either get our Ramune in smaller quantities, irregularly, or not at all. Which, of course, determines if our retailers receive the orders they have placed for Ramune or not.
Back to Normal
As for now, it may be another 4 or 5 months before we start seeing more consistent shipments of Ramune. We ask that you bare with us during this time and we guarantee Ramune will be back in full supply as soon as the ports are back to running under more normal operating conditions. We will be sure to keep this issue updated as it progresses.