Curious to try Coke's first alcoholic drink? You can, but only in Japan
By Mayumi Negishi July 23, 2019 5:36 am ET TOKYO— Coca-Cola Co. KO 5.88% plans to sell an alcoholic, lemon-flavored fizzy drink nationwide in Japan, following what it says was a successful test of the 133-year-old company’s first cocktail.
In May 2018, Coca-Cola introduced Lemon-Do on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, with 3%, 5% and 7% alcohol versions. It added a 9% version in February, dubbing it “oni-lemon,” or “ogre-lemon,” following a surge in popularity in mixed drinks with higher alcohol content. The drinks, which all retail at about $1.50 for a 350 milliliter can, don’t include any Coke.
Coca-Cola’s foray into chuhai is a product of Japan’s ultracompetitive market, where local rivals such as Suntory Holdings Ltd., Kirin Holdings Co. and Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. are constantly rolling out new products and seasonal drinks. Over the course of a year, Coca-Cola has a lineup of hundreds of nonalcoholic drinks in Japan.
Beer has lost ground in Japan over the last 15 years, while the chuhai market has more than doubled in size over the same period, according to Suntory. That has prompted companies to reallocate resources to the fizzy drinks, which are also popular among women.
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