Coca-Cola launches first alcoholic drink in Japan

After 125 years, US group Coca-Cola has broken tradition by introducing its first alcoholic drink, reports Financial Times.

The ‘Lemon-Do’ alcoholic drink - a fizzy, lemon-flavoured concoction laced with spirits that seeks to capitalise on the growing popularity of ‘chu-hai’ alcopops enjoyed especially by young women - launched on Monday in Japan.

Although the US firm dabbled in the wine business in the 1970s, the experiment in Japan is "unique" in the company's 125-year history, said Coca-Cola Japan president Jorge Garduno.

“Coca-Cola has always focused entirely on non-alcoholic beverages, and this is a modest experiment of a specific slice of our market,” said Garduno, adding that he did not think people around the world should expect to see something similar from Coke. 

Chu-hai is a canned alcoholic drink traditionally made from a distilled Japanese beverage called Sochu, sparkling water and flavouring. The market has hundreds of flavours and, according to figures used by the Japanese drinks group Suntory, has seen growth fluctuate between 5 percent and 25 percent a year since 2013.   

From Monday, three new "Lemon-Do" drinks -- containing three, five and seven percent alcohol -- will be available in the southern Kyushu region of Japan.

A 350-millilitre can will cost 150 yen, or $1.37 (1 yen = $0.0091).