Coca-Cola is planning to sell a canned Chu-Hi, a sparkling flavored drink with an alcohol content of 3% to 8%, in Japan. It’s unlikely the product would be sold outside of Japan, said Jorge Garduno, Coca-Cola Japan’s president.
“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,” he said.
Kirin, Suntory and Asahi all have varieties of the drink. The most popular flavors are strong citrus flavors such as grape, apple and peach.
Coca-Coca has flirted with alcohol before. In 1978, Coca-Cola Co. bought Sterling and Monterey Vineyards in California and New York’s Taylor Wine Co. By 1982, the company called it quits for wine. It was used to 20% to 30% margins, not the 2% to 3% that were common in wine at the time.