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Kikkoman, best known for its famous soy sauce, is also an established wine supplier in Japan, and it is about to launch a new concept wine. “Polyphenol Tappuri Wine, Tohrui Zero” (meaning wine with plentiful polyphenols and zero sugar) appeals to Japanese consumers’ understanding that wine can be good for your health.

There is a current trend in Japan for health concept wines with enriched polyphenol content but by doubling the concentration of polyphenols and removing the sugar content Kikkoman is strongly emphasising the wine’s health credentials and has, we believe, achieved a world’s first.

Kikkoman says that through higher fermentation the wine contains less than 0.5mg/100ml saccharide. This enables it to promote the product under Japanese nutrition labelling standards as “Saccharide zero”. But high fermentation also makes the taste of the wine much drier so the company has added the natural sweetener stevia to create the right taste.

“Polyphenol Tappuri Wine, Tohrui Zero” will go on sale on 22nd August at 685 JPY (around US$8.00) for 720ml glass bottle. If you want to try it will be widely available at most supermarkets in Japan. Let us know what you think!

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In recent years the Japanese Road Traffic Law has been tightened, especially as concerns drink-driving limits. Drinks containing as little as 0.1% alcohol are now considered alcoholic by the Japanese Food Sanitation Act, so even if one consumes beverages with only 0.1% alcohol content, there is the possibility that one could still be arrested.

As a result, the big 4 Japanese beer companies, Kirin, Asahi, Suntory and Sapporo have been developing completely non alcoholic beer. These beverages are not brewed, but have a beer-like taste. Kirin Free led the market in 2009 as consumers were able to drink without fear of the police. Indeed, most of its customers were drivers and it was the first beer-like product sold at highway shops here.

At the moment, Asahi Beer is working hard to improve its non alcoholic beer. The “Asahi Double Zero” will launch on 3 Aug, and it is not only zero alcohol but also zero calories. Asahi says that Double Zero is made using their technology for analyzing beer flavour and malt extract, allowing them to create a great refreshing taste.

Packaging is 350 ml aluminum can and returnable glass bottle (334 ml). Production is at the company’s Fukushima factory and Asahi plans to sell around 800 thousand cases (633 ml x 20 bottles per case).

Pepsi will launch “PEPSI BAOBAB” on 25th May, 500ml PET bottle, 140Yen. It has been the custom for Pepsi to launch a ‘strange’-flavoured Pepsi for several years now. In 2007 they launched “Cucumber”, and in 2009 “Azuki” and “Shiso” (red bean, and perilla) both quite Japanese flavours but unusual to see in CSDs.

This drink is a cola CSD but with BAOBAB flavour. The BAOBAB is a kind of superfruit with rich mineral and vitamins, and is not at all well known in Japan. But it is another example of Pepsi putting out a product that is likely to get people talking. Usually Pepsi’s seasonal products sell about 30 thousand cases (24 bottles a case).

Asahi Soft Drinks will launch “Green Cola” on 25th May. This is a cola soda made completely from natural sources, with zero colours, zero caffeine, zero preservatives and Asahi Brewery’s black malt. The flavour is created using plants and the beverage is produced using Asahi’s own patented technology called “Fresh Quality Method”.

The package is 500 ml PET bottle, and the retail price is 140 yen. The target audience is adults aged 20 to 30 because these consumers are now increasing their consumption of CSDs in Japan. Asahi plans to launch further new CSDs for adults this summer and is aiming to make a significant impact on this market. Asahi’s sales target for Green Cola is half a million cases this year.