2011, Importer of Korean residents in Japan started producing makgeolli products, attempting to promote them under the name makkori (マッコリ), the Japanese pronunciation of makgeolli.[3] It has been suggested that this may lead people to mistakenly regard makgeolli as being traditionally Japanese rather than Korean.[4]
To fit consumer tastes, research into standardization to reduce off-flavors and ensure consistency between batches has been applied in modern production. Flavorings such as fruit and ginseng are also sometimes added, along with aspartame, which gives sweetness without adding a fermentable carbohydrate, increasing shelf life and flavor stability in commercial brands. As the result of these efforts, sales have increased.[5]
A box of nongju
The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries announced plans for enhancing the competitiveness of alcoholic beverages on August 26, 2009, which includes plans[clarification needed] for the makgeolli industry.[6]