Coca-Cola to release its first alcoholic drink in Japan

In a bid to adjust with the craze in Japan for the canned sparkling flavored drinks, Chu-Hi, Coca-Cola has now announced plans to launch its first alcoholic drink.

Coca-Cola Co.’s Japan unit, for the first time in its 125-year history, said they are looking forward to introducing the fizzy alcoholic drink soonest.

The new drink will be launched with as an alcopop-style product, which typically means a sweet but alcoholic drink.

Coca-Cola is working on a product that is typically between 3 percent and 8 percent alcohol by volume, media reports confirm.

Commenting on the company’s decision, a senior Coke executive in Japan told reporters that the move was a “modest experiment for a specific slice of our market.”

Jorge Garduno, Coca-Cola’s Japan president also said, “We haven’t experimented in the low alcohol category before, but it’s an example of how we continue to explore opportunities outside our core areas.”

However, he suggested that it was unlikely the drink would be sold outside of Japan, where Chu-Hi or the shochu highball is currently marketed as an alternative to beer.

I heard @CocaCola were making an alcoholic drink but I had no idea that they would be making their own version of Chu-Hi (チューハイ) – 'Shochu highball', a canned alcopop you can find in vending machines and convenience stores across Japan! Excited! 🥃✨ https://t.co/aNCrfr6Dvc pic.twitter.com/SAM7qBKc4P

— YES NO / V I S I T S (@yesnotravel) March 7, 2018

Coca Cola making the incredibly brave assumption that adding alcohol to anything makes it better. Spoiler: they're right. https://t.co/jov99Xkqcg

— james W. (@AltInsiderFY) March 7, 2018

It’s going to be tasty 🥤

— YES NO / V I S I T S (@yesnotravel) March 7, 2018

“I don’t think people around the world should expect to see this kind of thing from Coca-Cola,” Garduño added.

The drink has proved to be especially popular with female drinkers.

With Japan’s younger consumers becoming more health conscious, Coca-Cola has been diversifying from fizzy drinks, including buying water and tea brands.

In November last year, reports quoted Wells Fargo analyst Bonnie Herzog as speculating that Coca-Cola might move into alcohol.

Herzog said at the time that the company is looking to “premium segments such as adult craft beverages.”

However, on Wednesday, the Atlanta-based company declined to say when the drink may launch or what it would be called.

Coke spokesperson Yohko Okabe told CNN on Wednesday that the new drink is a “highly Japan-specific approach given the complexity and richness” of Coke’s range of products in the country.