Lion brings the flavour of Tokyo to Australia

Japan’s best-selling premixed drink lands in Australia today, with Kirin Hyoketsu Lemon launching outside Japan for the first time.

The popularity of Japanese cuisine and culture and Australia’s appetite for RTDs made the launch a no-brainer for local distributor Lion, who has collaborated with Kirin on a localised version of the original.

Penni Terrey, Brand Director RTD at Lion, said she’s excited to be the first market outside of Japan to launch Hyoketsu and has big ambitions for the brand’s success in Australia.

“With such strong growth in RTDs in the Australian market we see a real opportunity to innovate in this space. This collaboration between Lion and Kirin is a great example of bringing in new innovations to meet a proven and growing consumer trend,” she said.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data revealed that Japan is now the third most-visited overseas destination for Australians, making Kirin Hyoketsu’s launch a timely celebration of the Japanese lemon sour flavour in Australia.

First launching back in 2001, Hyoketsu has enjoyed consistent success, revitalising the RTD category in Japan with its distinctive lemon flavour created using the innovative Hyoten Toketsu method, which involves freezing the lemon juice to deliver a balance of sweet and sour lemon notes free of a bitter aftertaste.

Kirin Hyoketsu Lemon has a 6 per cent alcohol content and 0.3g of sugar. It comes in at a low 116 calories per serving, making it a popular choice for millions of Japanese consumers every year.

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