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Yoshihiko Hani, publisher of Beverage Japan, and Steve Galloway, of Galloway & Associates, highlight some of the stand-out beverage innovations recently launched in the Japanese market. This time, the round-up includes functional beverages targeting fatigue relief and recovery, support with body fat reduction, gut health and mood support, and more.
New functional offerings from Asahi
Oishii Mizu Tennensui Lady Support from Asahi Beverage is a new sugar-free, grapefruit-flavoured functional water designed to support women’s health. Classified as a ‘Food with Function Claims,’ each bottle contains 10 billion Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 bacteria as the active ingredient, which targets the alleviation of premenstrual low mood, mental fatigue and drowsiness. Containing no fruit juice, it has zero calories and is available in a 200ml round PET bottle.
Also from Asahi, Plus Calpis Karada (‘body’) Cleansing is a functional dairy-based drink. Each 500ml square PET bottle contains 10-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid (10-HOA) derived from Lactobacillus CP1563 (1.44mg) to help reduce body fat, alongside maltobionic acid (0.8g) for supporting improved bowel movements and promoting the absorption of dietary calcium.
Fat-burning and recovery drinks
Ito En has released two citrus-flavoured functional fat-burning and fatigue recovery carbonated drinks. Burn Boost Sparkling is a zero-calorie beverage with 1% lemon juice and containing 5g of the functional ingredient allulose per bottle to promote fat burning during rest and daily activities. Recovery Boost Sparkling has been reformulated as a juice-free functional drink containing 200kcal and offering 3,000mg of citric acid per bottle, aimed at reducing physical fatigue. Each is available in a 500ml PET bottle.
Iron-enriched fermented yogurt beverage
Morinaga Dairies has launched Ichinichibun no Tetsubun Nomu Yogurt (meaning ‘daily dose iron drinking yogurt’), an ambient fermented yogurt beverage for promoting improved intestinal health. Prune-flavoured and enriched with iron (to cover the daily shortfall of a full day’s required intake), folic acid and Vitamin D, it contains 2g of lactulose as the active functional ingredient, zero fat and 1% fruit juice. It is available through the company’s online store in a 125ml LL paper carton, sold in cases of two sets of twelve cartons, and has a shelf life of 270 days.
Hydrogen water pouch for fatigue relief
Melodian Harmony Fine, the mail-order subsidiary of the Melodian Group, is relaunching its Suiso Tappuri no Oishii Mizu (or ‘delicious water packed with hydrogen’) as a ‘Food with Functional Claims’. A hydrogen water fatigue relief pouch drink, it utilises molecular hydrogen to reduce temporary daily fatigue caused by oxidative stress in healthy individuals under mild physical strain.
Using natural spring water from the Jakuchi River in Yamaguchi Prefecture in the west of Japan, it is manufactured using a proprietary micro-nanobubble production method to achieve a standard hydrogen concentration of 1.2 1.6 ppm, while an ‘ultra-fine mist’ process, developed jointly with Science Co, reduces the diameter of the hydrogen-containing bubbles to a minute 0.13μm. The 300ml aluminum pouch is sold in cases of 20 and is manufactured by Nishiki-machi Agricultural Products Processing.
Japan’s Beverage Innovations have been brought to you for over 15 years by Yoshihiko Hani, publisher of Beverage Japan, and Steve Galloway of Galloway & Associates.
Galloway & Associates is a UK and Asia-based strategic management consultancy covering international food and drink markets and specialising in the fast-evolving Japanese and Asian beverages sectors.
Reporting on emerging consumer trends, pioneering ingredients and the breakthrough technologies shaping Japan’s drinks landscape, these insights help brands identify growth opportunities, adapt to cultural nuances and bring Japanese-inspired innovations to international markets.
For companies seeking to decode the Japanese market or adapt its best ideas for new audiences, Galloway & Associates can support senior management teams to develop market entry strategies, and to apply innovative concepts to their products and brands in other markets.
To get in touch and discuss how Galloway & Associates might support you, please contact Steve.
Email: steve@gallowayconsult.com | Telephone: +44 (0)7815 563473
