Japan: Sapporo to market a new beer-like drink

Sapporo Breweries Ltd. said on January, 28 it will market a new "third-category" beer-like drink, Kyodo News International reported on the same day.

The new beverage, called "Reisei Sapporo (Cool Sapporo)," due to debut March 25, is expected to retail for around 140 yen per 350 milliliters.

Speaking at a press conference, Sapporo Senior Managing Director Fumiaki Terasaka said, "Third-category products will surpass (more expensive) regular beer and low-malt 'happoshu' beer in terms of not only sales volume but also value in the consumer market in the first six months of this year."

Sapporo products have been selling well this month thanks to the popularity of another third-category drink named, "Mugi to Hoppu (Barley and Hop)," company officials said.

30 January, 2009