KIRIN HYOKETSU Expands into US Ready-to-Drink Market with Local Production
Strawberry and pineapple flavours launched in Florida and Hawaii.
Tokyo – New Belgium Brewing, a leading Kirin Group company in the alcoholic beverage business in the United States, will launch two original flavours – KIRIN HYOKETSU STRAWBERRY and KIRIN HYOKETSU PINEAPPLE – under the KIRIN HYOKETSU (HYOKETSU) brand, produced and sold by Kirin Brewery Company, Limited. These ready-to-drink cocktails will be available in Hawaii, Tampa, Florida, and The Japan Pavilion at the EPCOT theme park, operated by Mitsukoshi (U.S.A.), from 2 March.
Created with American consumers in mind, these new flavours bring HYOKETSU’s signature fresh fruit taste to two major US markets. The beverage, produced and sold locally in the US, delivers fresh fruit flavour in a convenient and easy-to-enjoy format.
The US is the world’s largest ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage market, accounting for approximately half of the global market. Outstanding fruit flavours and ease of consumption continue to make RTD beverages one of the fastest-growing segments in this category.
Since its launch in 2001, HYOKETSU has become one of Japan’s leading RTD brands, known for its fresh beverages with rich fruit flavour. In Japan, the brand has achieved cumulative sales of approximately 15 billion units, demonstrating sustained consumer demand and brand strength.
Through local production and sales in the US, Kirin Brewery aims to deliver fresh fruit flavour in a convenient format whilst establishing HYOKETSU as a developable global brand.
Product Details
Strawberry and pineapple, two flavours popular among US consumers, were selected for this launch. The RTD beverage, designed for American taste preferences, delivers the characteristic fruit flavour profile of HYOKETSU, with fresh fruit taste and a light, easy-drinking finish.
Packaging Design
The packaging displays HYOKETSU’s distinctive blue and silver colour palette, signifying freshness and fruit character. The “KIRIN” brand name and HYOKETSU are prominently displayed, whilst the “CHU-HI” description indicates the product’s Japanese origins.
About Kirin Holdings
Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is a global company operating in three core business domains: Alcoholic Beverages, Non-Alcoholic Beverages & Health Science, and Pharmaceuticals. The company traces its origins to Japan Brewery, founded in 1885, which became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, Kirin has expanded its business operations by leveraging fermentation and biotechnology as core strengths. The company entered the pharmaceutical sector in the 1980s and has since developed into a global business. In 2007, it transitioned to a pure holding company structure under the name Kirin Holdings, and is now strengthening its Non-Alcoholic Beverages & Health Science domain.
Under its long-term vision “Innovate2035!”, the Kirin Group focuses on creating value that drives behavioural change among consumers and patients to establish new lifestyle habits in food and health. With a unique business portfolio encompassing Alcoholic Beverages, Non-Alcoholic Beverages & Health Science, and Pharmaceuticals, the Kirin Group will continue to expand group-wide initiatives supporting mental and physical wellbeing.
The Kirin Group will advance innovation through a combination of human resources and technological strengths, creating social and economic value as a leading global company in CSV (Creating Shared Value), whilst pursuing sustainable and long-term growth in company value.