JSS: 2025 Sake Exports Grew Steadily, Reaching a Record 81 Markets

 TOKYO - Friday, 06. February 2026 AETOSWire Print 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sake exports continued to expand in 2025 in both value and volume, with export destinations reaching a record 81 countries and regions. Export value increased 6% year on year to 45.9 billion yen, while export volume rose 8% to 33.55 million liters (3.73 million cases on a 9-liter basis), marking the second-highest export performance on record. The average export unit price per 750 ml bottle declined 2% year on year to 1,026 yen.

Export value has nearly doubled since 2020, and the CAGR over the past five years reached 14%. This underscores sake’s position as a high-growth category globally.

Asia remained the largest export destination, with export value totaling 28.8 billion yen, representing an 8% increase year on year and accounting for 63% of total export value. North America recorded exports of 12.4 billion yen, a 1% year-on-year decline, making it the only region to fall below the previous year’s level. Although current export value remains modest, Latin America continued to surge, quadrupling in size since 2020 and expanding destination countries to 10.

China was the largest destination country, with export value reaching 13.3 billion yen, up 14% year on year. In contrast, exports to the United States declined 3% year on year to 11 billion yen, reflecting a downturn in the second half of the year. Among the leading export markets, South Korea recorded particularly strong growth, with export value increasing 17% year on year to 4.4 billion yen—4.5 times higher than in 2020. While South Korea’s average export unit price remains below the average, it has continued to rise steadily.

Commenting on this growth, Hitoshi Utsunomiya, Director of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS), cited heightened international interest following the 2024 registration of traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. He also pointed to strengthened promotional and educational efforts, including participation in international trade fairs, Expo-related events, and educational programs conducted jointly with the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale.

Looking ahead, the JSS will continue bolstering its activities not only in established markets but also in emerging regions such as Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America. Through initiatives that emphasize sake’s pairing potential, experiential value, and cultural significance, the JSS aims to further communicate the appeal of sake to consumers worldwide.

 

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Takeshi Itani

takeshi.itani@sakeexperiencejapan.com

 

Canva Brings On-Brand Designs Directly into AI Assistants

 Designs created in ChatGPT now come to life in Canva, instantly on brand and ready to use

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- The future of work is being rewritten by AI, with professionals accomplishing in minutes what used to take hours. But there's been one persistent breaking point in AI assistants: generic visual outputs and off-brand colors that undermine AI speed with tedious manual cleanup.

Today, that friction ends as Canva brings brand intelligence directly into the AI tools where modern day work happens most. Starting now, ChatGPT users can create designs completely tied to their Canva Brand Kit, making a company’s brand come to life visually and function as a living participant in AI workflows.


This expansion marks the coming together of Canva and ChatGPT, two category-defining platforms, in a new way to make on-brand design more accessible and fluid. From client-ready pitch decks to social posts and professional-looking posters, the partnership continues to fuel Canva’s mission to empower everyone to design with ease.

Empowering Everyone to Create At Speed, With Brand Integrity

Canva is rapidly becoming the foundation for AI-powered design. Today’s update to the Canva app in ChatGPT, following last week’s debut in Anthropic’s Claude, reinforces Canva’s growing ubiquity and impact as the visual layer of the AI ecosystem. 


Already consistently ranked in the top ten sites receiving the most referrals from AI assistants according to Similarweb, Canva brings essential visual capabilities powered by its own design model into leading LLMs. Canva acts as each platform’s design brain, keenly understanding a brand’s unique fonts, colors and logos in new and inventive ways, serving as a critical piece of the AI productivity revolution.

In just the last year, Canva has pioneered the Canva Design Model for editable design outputs, Canva AI, an all-in-one design copilot, and the Canva MCP Server, which has already created over 12 million designs in ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot.

“The soul of a brand is visual identity, yet it has been the missing puzzle piece in how AI creates,” said Anwar Haneef, GM and Head of Ecosystem at Canva. “Today, we’re bridging that gap by bringing our design expertise to the daily tools used by millions. Whether you are in ChatGPT or Claude, Canva acts as the connective tissue that quickly turns a text conversation into beautiful brand-aligned visuals. This marks a significant leap in how LLMs and design models can bring creativity and productivity closer than ever.”

The Big Picture: AI Workflows That Actually Complete the Job

2026 marks a turning point in which teams move beyond isolated AI conversations to highly intuitive workflows with clear understanding of context, enabling consistency and finished work at speed. This represents a fundamental shift from static brand guidelines buried in forgotten PDFs to an interactive resource that lives across the tools people use every day.

“We believe an agent’s personal brand is their X-Factor; it’s the superpower that builds trust before they even enter the room," says eXp Realty Chief Marketing Officer, Wendy Forsythe. "This integration is a game-changer because it allows agents to scale that superpower without diluting it. By accessing Canva Brand Kits within ChatGPT, our agents can move from a text prompt to a fully branded visual in seconds. Ultimately, this frees our agents to spend less time formatting and more time connecting, ensuring their X-Factor shines through in every digital interaction."

How It Works: Your Brand, Instantly Accessible in AI

Once you’ve set up your Brand Kit in Canva, you can access new features including:

• Brand-Native Creation: Describe what you need in plain language, and ChatGPT and Claude will generate designs that use your brand’s colors, fonts, layouts and logos.

• Guided Presentation Builder: Nail your story structure first, collaborate with the AI assistant, then watch it come to life in your brand's style with polish and precision.

• Live Design Preview: Interact with and refine your designs right inside ChatGPT through the Canva app, seamlessly connecting AI conversation and visual creation.

The Canva AI connector is available to ChatGPT users starting today. Connect your accounts at canva.com/ai to bring your brand into the future of AI work.

About Canva

Launched in 2013, Canva is the world’s leading all-in-one platform for visual communication and collaboration. Built to empower everyone to design, Canva serves the creative and design needs of enterprises, small businesses, consumers, and students in more than 190 countries worldwide. Whether you’re a novice taking your first steps in design, or a creative professional seeking powerful tools, Canva ensures users have what they need to transform an idea into something beautiful. Underpinned by the world's most comprehensive library of designer-made content, Canva is powered by a suite of products and proprietary AI tools that elevate how individuals and teams create, collaborate, and communicate with ease.

 

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Media Contact:


Olivia Johnson 


oliviajohnson@canva.com  

LTIMindtree Recognized as a Leader in Everest Group Payments IT Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025

 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- LTIMindtree [NSE: LTIM, BSE: 540005], a leading global technology consulting and digital solutions provider, has been positioned as a Leader in the Everest Group Payments IT Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025. This recognition is for being a strategic transformation partner that combines modernization scale, platform alliances, and innovation across real-time, digital assets, and ensure secure, regulator-ready payment environments.

Everest Group highlighted LTIMindtree’s strong market impact and vision and capability in delivering largescale payments across issuers, acquirers, payment processors, card networks, and FinTechs. The assessment comes at a time when enterprises are rapidly modernizing legacy payments platforms to support real-time, cross-border, and ISO 20022 compliant payment environments, while enhancing resiliency, interoperability, and regulatory compliance.

LTIMindtree stands out for its product engineering expertise across major payment platforms like Finastra GPP/P2G, alongside leading credit card platforms and money transfer systems, backed by Centers of Excellence and global transformation programs. Everest Group also highlighted LTIMindtree’s strength in payment hub modernization, ISO 20022 migrations, scheme compliance, and Request‑to‑Pay implementations.

“Enterprise payment systems are complex and need AI-based solutions for secure and compliant transactions. LTIMindtree uses generative and agentic AI through BlueVerseTM to provide scalable payment transformation, ensuring efficient transfers and strong business results,” said Harsh Naidu, Senior Vice President, Banking and Financial Services, LTIMindtree.

“LTIMindtree has strengthened its position in the payments IT services landscape by supporting large-scale, multi-country payments modernization and real-time payments transformation initiatives,” said Pranati Dave, Vice President, Everest Group. “LTIMindtree’s growing focus on AI-powered modernization, supported by its BlueVerseTM ecosystem and early adoption of agentic AI across fraud prevention, rulebook automation, and payment operations, further enhances its differentiation. Its strong platform partnerships, long-standing client relationships, and focused investments in AI-led engineering, reinforce LTIMindtree’s recognition as a Leader in Everest Group’s Payments IT Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2025.”

About LTIMindtree

LTIMindtree is a global technology consulting and digital solutions company that partners with enterprises across industries to reimagine business models, accelerate innovation, and drive AI-centric growth. Trusted by more than 700 clients worldwide, we use advanced technologies to enable operational excellence, elevated customer experience, and long-term value creation. With a workforce of more than 86,000 talented and entrepreneurial professionals across over 40 countries, LTIMindtree — a Larsen & Toubro Group company — is dedicated to solving complex business challenges and delivering transformation at scale. For more information, please visit www.ltimindtree.com.

 

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Media Contact: Gitanjali Sreepal, gitanjali.sreepal@ltimindtree.com

InterSystems Honored with Four 2026 Best in KLAS Awards

Recognized for excellence in Acute Care EHR and Shared Care Records across Asia, Oceania, and Europe

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- InterSystems, a creative data technology provider powering more than one billion health records globally, today announced it has received four Global 2026 Best in KLAS awards. The company earned a #1 ranking for Acute Care EHR in Asia, Oceania, and France, as well as for Shared Care Records in Europe.

Best in KLAS is KLAS Research’s annual recognition of top-performing healthcare technology and services solutions, based entirely on feedback from healthcare provider organizations. Awards are given within defined software and services market segments evaluated by KLAS Research using a standardized methodology that reflects customer experience and performance. In addition to U.S. market segments, KLAS also recognizes top-performing solutions through its Global (Non-U.S.) Best in KLAS Awards, which are based on feedback from healthcare organizations outside the United States and evaluated using the same research framework.

InterSystems was honored with four 2026 Global Best in KLAS awards:

InterSystems TrakCare® received three separate Best in KLAS designations for Acute Care EHR in France, Asia, and Oceania, a rating that reflects strong feedback from healthcare organizations within each of these markets.

Shared Care Records (Europe): InterSystems HealthShare® was recognized as Best in KLAS for Shared Care Records in Europe for the third consecutive year, following prior wins in 2024 and 2025, based on feedback from healthcare organizations across the region.

"At InterSystems, our mission has always been to build solutions as a joint effort with real end users on their real problems and opportunities in their world. Receiving four Best in KLAS awards is incredibly validating because these honors aren't decided by a panel of judges—they come directly from the feedback of the clinicians and healthcare leaders who use our technology every day," said Don Woodlock, President of InterSystems. "These awards are a testament to our customers' partnership and our team's dedication to technical excellence and customer success."

“The Best in KLAS awards recognize the vendors who consistently deliver excellence through partnership with healthcare organizations. Winning this award means customers trust you to help them succeed in our rapidly changing healthcare landscape. This means helping them to improve patient care, achieve better outcomes, and find true ROI. We’re honored to amplify the voice of providers and payers at KLAS, and to celebrate those vendors who turn feedback into action,” said Adam Gale, CEO, KLAS Research.

The complete 2026 Best in KLAS Awards: Global Software Report can be found here.

About KLAS

KLAS helps healthcare providers make informed technology decisions by offering accurate, honest, and impartial vendor performance information. KLAS monitors vendor performance through interviewing thousands of healthcare providers representing healthcare organizations throughout the US and across the globe. KLAS uses a simple methodology to ensure all data and ratings are accurate, honest, and impartial to help create market moving moments. Learn more at klasresearch.com.

About InterSystems

InterSystems, a creative data technology provider, delivers a unified foundation for next-generation applications for healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and supply chain customers in more than 80 countries. Our data platforms solve interoperability, speed, and scalability problems for large organizations around the globe to unlock the power of data and allow people to perceive data in imaginative ways. Established in 1978, InterSystems is committed to excellence through its 24×7 support for customers and partners around the world. Privately held and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, InterSystems has 38 offices in 28 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit InterSystems.com.

 

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InterSystems PR Contact:

Zach Keating

pr@intersystems.com

617.551.5158

 

Andersen Consulting Enters Into Collaboration Agreement With Alfa Group

 (BUSINESS WIRE)--Andersen Consulting adds depth to its cybersecurity offering with collaborating firm Alfa Group, a leading technology firm with nearly three decades of experience helping organizations safeguard and optimize their operations.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Rome, Alfa Group delivers advanced solutions in cybersecurity, fraud detection and prevention, incident response, and vulnerability management, as well as select business process management services. Its proprietary technology, N.O.V.A., is an end-to-end managed service that integrates Alfa Group’s innovations with third-party systems to safeguard digital infrastructures, mitigate risk, and enhance operational efficiency. The firm serves clients across industries including finance and insurance, defense and aerospace, telecom, manufacturing, energy, and pharmaceutical.

"Our collaboration with Andersen Consulting allows us to extend our reach and deliver greater value to clients navigating the complexities of digital transformation and cybersecurity," said Dario Lauricella, CEO of Alfa Group. "By combining our deep expertise in cybersecurity and risk management with Andersen’s global platform, we are able to provide a more comprehensive suite of services that addresses the evolving needs of clients in Europe and globally."

Mark L. Vorsatz, global chairman and CEO of Andersen, added, "Alfa Group has established itself as a trusted technology advisor, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity and IT governance. Their expertise is highly synergistic with our capabilities, and this collaboration strengthens our ability to support organizations as they adapt to technological disruption and increasing regulatory demands."

Andersen Consulting is a global consulting practice providing a comprehensive suite of services spanning corporate strategy, business, technology, and AI transformation, as well as human capital solutions. Andersen Consulting integrates with the multidimensional service model of Andersen Global, delivering world-class consulting, tax, legal, valuation, global mobility, and advisory expertise on a global platform with more than 50,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 1,000 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms. Andersen Consulting Holdings LP is a limited partnership and provides consulting solutions through its member firms and collaborating firms around the world.

 

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mediainquiries@Andersen.com

 

PubNub Achieves SOC 3 Compliance, Reinforcing Commitment to Security, Trust, and Transparency

 SAN FRANCISCO - Thursday, 05. February 2026

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- PubNub, the real-time communications platform that powers low-latency, event-driven logic across modern application architectures, is pleased to announce that it has achieved SOC 3 compliance. This latest attestation highlights PubNub’s continuous dedication to providing a secure and trusted platform for building and scaling interactive online experiences.

The SOC 3 report affirms that PubNub’s systems meet the Trust Services Criteria for security, availability, and confidentiality. Unlike SOC 2 reports, which are restricted to existing customers or partners due to the level of operational detail they include, SOC 3 reports are designed for broad, public distribution. This transparency enables anyone to verify that PubNub adheres to the stringent controls required by the SOC 2 framework, providing proof of robust information security and operational integrity.

This achievement adds to PubNub’s extensive compliance portfolio, which includes SOC 2 Type 2, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, HIPAA, and GDPR. These certifications highlight PubNub’s commitment to maintaining high standards of data protection, privacy, and reliability across all aspects of its platform and operations.

PubNub’s trusted infrastructure powers secure real-time interactions for leading organizations across a range of industries, including digital health, sports media and entertainment, gaming, transportation, and eCommerce. Organizations such as Beamable, DAZN, Zillow, Docusign, and Pocket Gems rely on PubNub to build dynamic digital experiences that scale globally while maintaining the highest levels of reliability and compliance.

The full SOC 3 report is publicly available and can be downloaded at www.pubnub.com/trust/compliance.

About PubNub

PubNub is a real-time interactivity platform for connecting humans, devices, and AIs, enabling teams to focus on launching features rather than managing infrastructure. As the leader in global pub/sub messaging, PubNub delivers <100ms latency worldwide through 15+ Points of Presence, backed by a 99.999% SLA and zero-trust security. Trusted by over 2,000 companies—including DAZN, Zillow, Docusign, Beamable, and the American Cancer Society—PubNub powers more than 3 trillion API transactions every month. Start building today at pubnub.com.

 

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Media Contact:

Kayley Smith, Marketing Director

PubNub | 737-328-9825 | kayley.smith@pubnub.com

AI-Powered Experian Assistant for Model Risk Management Wins 2026 BIG Innovation Award

COSTA MESA, Calif. - Thursday, 05. February 2026

Highlights how Experian’s AI capabilities help global financial institutions keep regulatory documentation aligned with rapid model innovations

 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Experian today announced that its recently launched, AI‑powered Experian Assistant for Model Risk Management has been awarded the 2026 BIG Innovation Award in the Innovative Products category. Recognizing trailblazers across industries since 2014, this global award celebrates exceptional innovation and the value it brings to a recipient’s clients, stakeholders and community.

Fully integrated into the Experian Ascend Platform™ and powered by ValidMind technology, Experian Assistant for Model Risk Management helps accelerate model validation, improve auditability and reduce regulatory risk. By offering standardized templates, centralized documentation and streamlined workflow approvals, the solution empowers financial institutions to meet regulatory guidelines in today’s AI-driven model development.

“The AI-enabled speed of data analytics and model development is driving unprecedented business opportunities for financial institutions, but it comes with a significant challenge: global regulations that require time-consuming documentation,” said Vijay Mehta, EVP, Global Solutions and Analytics, Experian Software Solutions. “Experian Assistant for Model Risk Management helps solve this labor- and resource-intensive requirement with end-to-end model documentation automation, and this award recognizes this value to our customers.”

According to a 2025 study by Experian of more than 500 global financial institutions, two thirds of them (67%) currently find it challenging to meet their respective country’s regulatory requirements, and 79% report that regulators communicate supervisory concerns and issues more frequently now than a year ago. Presenting an even tougher challenge, 60% of financial institutions still rely entirely on manual processes for compliance. More than 70% of larger companies say that model documentation compliance currently involves more than 50 people.

“Experian Assistant for Model Risk Management solves a very real pain point for financial institutions by offering scalable and explainable AI across the credit and risk lifecycle,” said Mehta. “With it, they can modernize their model documentation and risk practices and keep pace with fast-evolving AI technologies and regulatory requirements.”

The 2026 BIG Innovation Awards are evaluated by a panel of seasoned business leaders and executives who assess submissions based on measurable performance, responsible implementation and the capability to shape the future of work and culture. For more information, visit https://www.bintelligence.com/awards/big-innovation-awards.

About Business Intelligence Group

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, these programs are judged by business executives who have experience and knowledge. The organization's proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.

About Experian

Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. We help to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using our unique combination of data, analytics and software. We also assist millions of people to realise their financial goals and help them to save time and money.

We operate across a range of markets, from financial services to healthcare, automotive, agrifinance, insurance, and many more industry segments.

We invest in talented people and new advanced technologies to unlock the power of data and to innovate. A FTSE 100 Index company listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN), we have a team of 25,200 people across 33 countries. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at experianplc.com.

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian and its affiliates. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

 

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Michael Troncale

Experian Public Relations

+1 714 830 5462

michael.troncale@experian.com