MARKETS: Japan
In 1977, Mario started to cooperate with MONTE BUSSAN KK Company in Tokyo, which was established the same year after the merging with the Echo Bussan KK, a company founded in 1974 and affiliated to the NIPPON MONTEDISON KK, which was the Japanese branch of Montedison, the Italian company leader in the field of chemical products.
Since the beginning, Mario succeeded in persuading the founders and owners of Monte Bussan company, Mr. Guido Di Napoli, President of both Monte Bussan and Nippon Montedison, and his right-hand man Mr. Ken Matsubara to drastically change Monte Bussan strategy.
 
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He focused on the importance of high quality and a good image rather than low prices, as Monte Bussan was doing at the beginning of its activity.French wines had been leading the market ever since, while Italian ones were almost completely unknown apart from some Chianti wine in straw flasks, so it was the time to create a new Italian wine market based on good quality and image. After all, Japanese people were rich and culturally developed and they could buy wines of high quality. |
This new strategy turned out to be a success and Monte Bussan soon became the company leader in the importation of Italian wines in Japan, winning against the Suntory Group, the Japanese leader in the importation of wine from all over the world and the production of national drinks (such as whisky, beer and soft drinks).
The business partnership between Mr. Meschiari and Monte Bussan company was a great success and Mario went on building the Monte Bussan wine portfolio until obtaining extraordinary annual sales volumes, such as 500 containers of wines, 700 containers of peeled tomatoes and many other containers of Sicily blood orange juice, balsamic vinegar, pickles, anchovy paste, etc.
This partnership ended in 2007, 31 years after its very beginning, when the giant Suntory Group decided to take over the "small" Monte Bussan company and all its wine portfolio making an offer impossible to refuse, in order to become the leader in the importation of Italian wines.
Producers introduced into the Japanese market by Mario Meschiari from 1977 to 2007:
Piedmont Fontanafredda, La Spinetta-Rivetti, E. Pira- Chiara Boschis, Franco M. Martinetti, Malvirà, Cantine Bava, Travaglini, Giorgio Carnevale, Valmosè, Aceto Ponti. Lombardy: Nino Negri, Monte Rossa, Branca. Trentino Alto Adige: San Michele Appiano. Veneto: Bolla, Bertani, Pasqua, F.lli Speri, Santa Margherita, Valdo, Bellenda, Aperol, Paluani panettone, Coelsanus, Piazzetta caminetti. Friuli: Schiopetto, Livio Felluga, Vie di Romans, Zamò, Birra Moretti. Emilia Romagna: Cavicchioli, Donelli, Fattoria Paradiso, Due Tigli-Ronco, Fabbi aceto, Grosoli aceto del duca, Formec-Biffi, Cisa Eurofungo. Tuscany: Melini, Conti Serristori-Machiavelli, Villa Banfi, Biondi Santi, Fattoria Lisini, Poderi Emilio Costanti, La Spinetta-Rivetti, Poderi Boscarelli, Fattoria del Cerro, Avignonesi, Le Pupille, Cignano-Villa Cilnia. Marche: Garofoli, Umani Ronchi, Pescevino. Umbria: Colli del Trasimeno, Arnaldo Caprai, Colpetrone, Falesco. Lazio: Fontana Candida, Principe Pallavicini. Campania: Saviano, Mastroberardino, Feudi di San Gregorio, Limoncello di Capri. Apulia: Rivera, Feudo Monaci, Taurino. Basilicata: Terre degli Svevi. Calabria: Librandi. Sicily: Duca di Salaparuta, Florio, Mineo, Averna, Oranfrizer. Sardinia: Sella & Mosca.