Coca-Cola launching alcoholic drink in Japan

Coca-Cola Announces Plan To Launch Alcoholic Beverage In Japan

Coca-Cola is the world's most famous soft drink. Now, the venerable brand is going to introduce an alcoholic drink in Japan later this year, CNN reported.

Coca-Cola wants to cash in on Japan’s growing demand for “chu-hi” -- a canned, flavored drink made with sparkling water and shochu, a Japanese spirit that is distilled from grains, CNN reported.

Chu-hi contains between 3 percent and 8 percent alcohol by volume, the BBC reported.

Coca-Cola spokesman Yohko Okabe said the new drink is a “highly Japan-specific approach given the complexity and richness” of the company’s range of products in Japan.

No other details were released about the plans for the alcoholic drink, but in a recent blog post, Jorge Garduño, president of Coca-Cola Japan said the drink would be "unique" in Coke's history.

"We haven't experimented in the low alcohol category before," Garduño said in the post.

Coca-Cola fans outside Japan should not expect a worldwide release of a stiffer drink.

"I don't think people around the world should expect to see this kind of thing from Coca-Cola," Garduño said.