Photo/Illutration Products from Coca-Cola (Japan) Co.’s Nomel’s Hard Lemonade brand are shown on June 10 in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward. (Takumi Wakai)

Lemon-flavored alcoholic drinks have quickly filled the market void in Japan created by younger consumers’ diminished thirst for beer.

Beverage makers are racing to pitch lemon-based ready-to-drink products, such as canned “chuhai” soda-mixed shochu, which can be consumed without being diluted with soda water or other liquids.

Brisk sales of earlier beverages have resulted in increased market prices for the newer potables.

Coca-Cola (Japan) Co. in June released Nomel’s Hard Lemonade brand, which comes in three different alcoholic strengths and tastes.

The company entered the Japanese alcohol market for the first time in 2019 with its Lemon-Dou lemon sour.

Its second booze product in Japan is also a lemon-featured, ready-to-drink one.

“We expect the market of lemon-flavored RTD (ready-to-drink) products to grow,” said Patrick Savstrom, a senior brand manager involved in the development of both products. “Pitching brands with diverse features will further accelerate the expansion.”

Suntory Spirits Ltd. in 2019 began selling Kodawari Sakaba no Lemon Sour.

Sapporo Breweries Ltd. and Kirin Brewery Co. this past spring put out Koime No Lemon Sour and Hakko Lemon Sour, respectively. All those items have proven very sought-after.

PRICES SET HIGH

Data from research firm Intage Inc. show sales of ready-to-drink products rose 10 percent in 2020 from the previous year to 419.1 billion yen ($3.82 billion), with those using lemon accounting for 171.2 billion yen, or 40 percent, of the total.

The year-on-year growth rate of 35 percent for lemon-featured products was higher than that for the entire ready-to-drink market.

The fruit’s refreshing aroma is said to go well with various kinds of food, and some brands offer differing alcoholic potency and flavors to cater to a wide range of consumer preferences.

The popularity of lemon-based drinks has caught the eye of beer makers, whose sales have shrunk for 16 straight years.

“We must make the maximum possible efforts in the category (of lemon-based products) now, so that we will nurture strong brands,” said a public relations representative of a major beer brewer.

The lemon-drink boom has generated an unexpected effect.

Conventional ready-to-drink products carry cheaper price tags to promote their sales, such as a 350-milliliter can for 110 yen after tax.

But Coca-Cola (Japan)’s Lemon-Dou has sold well despite its more expensive price of around 165 yen. The price of Hakko Lemon Sour, put on sale by Kirin Brewery in spring, is as high as 170 yen.

“A new market has been established for pricey RTD products partly because of drinks released earlier,” said a publicity official of Kirin Brewery. “This made us realize that (expensive) RTD products can be accepted if they provide higher value.”

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