Kirin Holdings is to launch a sour alcoholic RTD made with fermented lemon juice.
Described by the Japanese company as a first for the beverage industry, the 7%-abv canned RTD sour will roll out in Japan from next month. The product is part of a strengthened focus from Kirin on the RTD cocktail and ‘chuhai’ market.
Chuhai is a spirits-based pre-mix made with shochu or vodka and carbonated water. Lemon is one of the most popular chuhai flavours, with a number of lemon sours hitting the market in the last two years, including The Coca-Cola Co’s Lemon-dou and Suntory’s Kodawari Sakaba no Lemon Sour.
Available in 35cl and 50cl cans across Japan, Kirin Fermented Lemon Sour differs from existing brands by using fermented lemon juice. According to the company, the fermented juice makes the flavour “more intense” and means no added flavours or sweeteners are needed.
Kirin has targeted a 5% increase in RTD cocktail and chuhai sales in 2021 as consumers swap bars and restaurants for at-home consumption. “The RTD market has expanded rapidly due to the impact of COVID-19,” the company said in an outline of its business strategy for the coming year.
Read More: Kirin Holdings lines up Kirin Fermented Lemon Sour release | Beverage