TOKYO — It took over a century, but Coca Cola is finally dipping its toes into the alcoholic beverages market. The catch? Only in Japan.
The Financial Times reports that with health conscious people now shunning sugar, dismal soda sales have prompted the company to branch out with more innocuous drinks.
Fortunately, they've realized that at least in Japan, the fizzy, sugary stuff sells — but only if you booze it up. Case in point: the Japanese live for Chu-His — alcoholic drinks made from shochu, sparkling water, and fruity flavorings, that's especially popular with the ladies.
Coca Cola wants a slice of that chu-hi pie, and is set to experiment on developing their own unique version.
Local beverage makers may be ahead of the game, but everyone and their obaasan is curious to see what a player like the Coca Cola company will bring to the table.
The soda giant claims it's unlikely they'll be pulling this sort of boozy stunt elsewhere in the world, even though there are plenty of fans jonesing for a stiffer drink.
