Chu-Hi: Coca-Cola's first alcoholic drink to launch in Japan

Yep, you read right. Coca-Cola is planning to launch an alcoholic canned drink in Japan as an experiment specifically targeted towards Japan’s ‘Chu-Hi market – unfortunately for those of us outside of Japan, this means there are no plans to launch elsewhere.  In an interview posted on their site, Jorge Garduño, president of Coca-Cola Japan, remarked “so many products that are born [in Japan] will stay here” because the culture is so unique.

Chu-Hi is a canned drink that contains Shōchū (the Japanese answer to vodka), flavouring and sparkling water. Popular around Asia, these drinks, ranging from three to eight percent alcohol, come in all sorts of flavours including salty Kyoho grape, cream soda, strawberry cream, peach, lychee, yuzu and more.

Other Japanese Coca-Cola exclusives include Coca-Cola peach, released to celebrate Japan’s seasonal festival of peaches, as well as Coca-Cola Plus, which contains added fiber and is sugar- and calorie-free.

For the rest of us, we’ll just have to stick to Coke Zero or the OG Coca-Cola classic – that is unless you’re planning to try their new Diet Coke range of Twisted Mango, Feisty Cherry, Ginger Lime and Zesty Blood Orange as part of the brand’s new design and revamp.