Japan's 1st zero-carb regular beer going to shelves in October
29 August, 2020
Kirin Brewery Co said Thursday it will start selling a zero-carbohydrate regular beer in Japan in October, the first such product offered by a domestic brewer, to tap demand among increasingly health-conscious consumers.
The zero-carb beer beneath the major Japanese brewery's flagship Ichibanshibori brand will be launched on Oct 6 as the liquor tax will be reduced on regular beer right away of that month.
Kirin and its own rival domestic beer companies have already introduced zero- and low-carb products in so-called "happoshu" low-malt beers and low-priced "third-category" beer-like alcohol consumption, but not yet in regular beer.
Third-category beers include beverages that use alternatives to malt, such as for example soy or pea protein.
In the January-July period, Kirin saw sales of its low-carb and zero-carb products rise around 5 percent from a year earlier, indicating a growing concern among consumers about their health, especially through the coronavirus pandemic, the business said.
Kirin said it has conducted more than 350 brewing tests over about five a long time up with a method to reduce glucides in its beer while ensuring the taste isn't negatively impacted.
While a 350-milliliter can of Ichibanshibori happens to be sold at 228 yen, the liquor tax on a single amount of beer will be cut by roughly 7 yen from October, according to the brewery.
"You want to take the revised liquor tax as an opportunity to find fresh growth in the beer market," Kirin Brewery President Takayuki Fuse told a press conference. "We desire to find new beer fans" through the introduction of the merchandise, he added.
Kirin plans to market the upcoming zero-carb beer at the same price as other products beneath the Ichibanshibori brand.
Source: japantoday.com
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