Kirin will release “KIRIN Premium Jin Soda Mori no Ka,” a gin mixed with soda, on the 27th.
On August 21, Kirin Brewery announced the release of “KIRIN Premium Gin Soda, Morino Aroma”, a gin-infused soda canned chuhai, on August 27. The shochu process enhances the flavors and gives it a cool, refreshing taste. The market for non-sweet canned chuhai that goes well with meals is expanding, targeting the need for daily refreshment.
The gin ingredient is 100% “Juniper berries,” and the distillation kettle at Kirin Group’s Mercian Yatsushiro Shiranui Brewery (Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture) was used for production. The process used for shochu was adopted to create “It’s as refreshing and cool as taking a deep breath in the woods” (Kahori Chaki, Marketing Department).
The assumed convenience store price for a 350ml can is approximately 190 yen, and approximately 263 yen for a 500ml can. A 700ml bottle of gin (3,960 yen) will also be available on a limited basis through the official online store. Targeting people in their 30s and 40s, it aims to sell approximately 600,000 cases (equivalent to 24 350ml per case) by December.
The domestic market for canned chuhai has seen a 5% year-on-year growth in sales volume from January to July 2024 due to increased demand for drinking with meals and other factors. According to Kirin, the market for unsweetened canned chuhai, especially unsweetened, is growing at 16%.
Suntory and Asahi Breweries have also introduced gin-based canned chuhai, and domestic gin sales have expanded 2.2 times in the last 10 years. Takahiro Matsumura of the Marketing Department says, “The desire to wash away fatigue and negative emotions is increasing as the days are busy with a great deal of change. The refreshing taste of gin may be embraced with novelty.