Coca Cola Japan releases new flavour to combat the winter cold

A spinning reel of enticing flavour possibilities was used to introduce the new star ingredient.

When it comes to adding weird and wonderful flavours to carbonated beverages, Pepsi has been leading the way in Japan, going boldly where few others dare to go with releases featuring salty watermelon, lemon and mint, and even sakura cherry blossom. Coca-Cola, on the other hand, has been known for playing it safe, instead opting to forge new pathways in terms of packaging design and innovative freezing technology that transforms their signature drink into a bottled slushie.

It’s not often that Coca-Cola decides to add a new ingredient to their namesake soft drink, so when it was announced that a new flavour would be introduced as a “historic first” for the company, everyone in Japan sat up and took notice. To add to the anticipation, Coca-Cola also revealed a promotion offering the chance for 1,000 people to win a bottle of the new drink by filling out a form and retweeting the spinning reels below, which unveiled the new star ingredient: ginger.

#ひと味違う新フレーバー は【しょうが】 “コカ･コーラ ジンジャー”登場を記念して、抽選でさらに1,000名様に発売前にプレゼント！ この投稿をリツイート＆フォーム入力 bit.ly/2hqIVzwで応募しよう♪… http://twitter.com/i/web/status/8…

—
コカ･コーラ (@CocaColaJapan) December 19, 2016

While we’ve seen orange and lemon versions of Coca-Cola in the past, this is the first time for the company to add ginger, which is said to give the drink a hint of warm spiciness. Japan will be the first country in Asia to get the new beverage, where it will be limited to sale during the winter season, due to the fact that ginger is traditionally viewed here as a warming ingredient.

Consumers in Australia, however, were actually the first in the world to enjoy the new beverage, as it made its debut there last month, where the drink was billed as a perfect summer thirst-quencher. According to the company, Australian consumers enjoy an icy cold Coke on a hot summer’s day, and the ginger flavour is said to pair well with seafood, light salads, and Asian fusion cuisine, which is popular there in the warmer months.

The subtle hint of ginger is said to have a scent and flavour that matches the drink perfectly, while providing a hint of spice that gives it a clean and refreshing aftertaste. People in Japan will be able to enjoy the new drink from 23 January, when 500-millilitre (16.9-ounce) bottles will go on sale around the country at a recommended retail price of 140 yen (US$1.19).

Source: Net Lab
Featured Image: Twitter/@CocaColaJapan
Insert images: Coca-Cola Japan

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