Drinks manufacturer Suntory has announced the launch of a ready-to-drink green tea liquor to meet perceived demand within the Japanese market.
Maccha Kaoru Osake translates as “green tea-scented liquor” and will combine green tea extracts with Shochu, a Japanese distilled beverage typically derived from barley, buckwheat or rice. The 8% ABV drink will launch in Japanese retailers at a price of ¥500 from the beginning of April.
Alcohol combined with tea or coffee is a popular category in Japan, and Suntory are looking to fill the gap for ready-to-drink convenience products; previously, consumers had struggled to find the right balance of ingredients to make the drink at home, commentators have said.
Suntory is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of distilled drinks; in 2014, we reported that it had acquired all of the remaining shares of bourbon manufacturer Beam. It also owns Lucozade Ribena Suntory and Orangina Schweppes, which produce some of the world’s most recognised brands of soft drinks.
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