Coca-Cola Set To Release Its First Ever Alcoholic Drink

Food | Drinks

Coca-Cola Set To Release Its First Ever Alcoholic Drink

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Since 1886, Coca-Cola has been delighting people around the world with its undeniably addicting fizzy taste.

The company has gone through several changes in the past century, from re-branding to new flavors and everything in between, and the customers can't stop coming back for more.

Despite the steep competition from Pepsi and various no-name brands, Coke always comes out on top, but it's not without a significant amount of effort.

Despite the saying, if it's not broke don't fix it, the soft drink company hasn't stopped experimenting - and neither do consumers.

Coke products are often used as a chaser mixed in alcohol (rum and coke, vodka sprite, etc.), but the company has decided to cut out the middle man and do it all on their own.

What am I talking about? Well, Cola-Cola has announced it will soon begin to manufacture its own alcoholic beverage.

But before you wrap your head around it, be warned it comes with a catch.

While this is the first time the soda company has dipped its toes in the alcohol industry, this new drink is only going to be released in Japan.

It's believed Cola-Cola is jumping on this bandwagon due to the surge of popularity of the Japanese alcoholic beverage, alcopops, which can be purchased in vending machines.

With Chu-Hi's alcohol content ranging from 3% to 8%, the drinks have rapidly become the most popular alternative to beer, and comes in a number of flavors, including green apple, lemon-lime, peach, and plum.

"We haven't experimented in the low alcohol category before, but it's an example of how we continue to explore opportunities outside our core areas," Jorge Garduno, the company's Japan president, said on the company's website.  

"Coca-Cola has always focused entirely on non-alcoholic beverages, and this is a modest experiment for a specific slice of our market," he added.

The Asian country is one of the world's most competitive markets, and Coca-Cola doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon.

"Experimentation is almost like a day-to-day ritual here. You can't fall behind the rapid product cycle in Japan," Garduno said.

But don't despair North American coke connoisseurs, because Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey isn't ruling out ever bringing the new drink to the North American Market when he said: "Never say never"

Would you be interested in tasting this new beverage?

[H/T: CNBC, CNN Money, Metro]

Maya has been working at Shared for a year. She just begrudgingly spent $200 on a gym membership. Contact her at maya@shared.com