Suntory Beverage & Food Great Britain and Ireland (SBF GB&I) is set to expand into the ready-to-drink (RTD) alcohol market in the UK with the launch of the Japanese brand -196 in April. The producer of Lucozade and Ribena will launch two flavours of the brand, Lemon and Grapefruit, both with 6% alcohol content.
Launched by Suntory Holdings in Japan in 2005, -196 is now a well-established canned RTD alcohol brand in the country. Following launches in Australia (2021) and China (2023), the brand is being rolled out around the world in Britain, Germany, the US and Southeast Asia.
The -196 brand name is a reference to the use of Suntory’s proprietary freeze crush infusion technology. This unique process freezes the whole fruit by using liquid nitrogen at -196°C and the frozen zest, pulp and juice are then crushed into powder and infused with vodka.
“This launch marks a significant move for us into the ready-to-drink alcohol market and is part of a much bigger strategy for portfolio growth,” said Carol Robert, Chief Operating Officer at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I.
“We’re very proud of our Japanese heritage and honoured to be launching one of Suntory’s iconic brands in our business for the first time.”
RTD is the fastest-growing alcoholic beverage category globally, which witnessed an average growth rate of approximately 20% through 2020-2022. Growth is expected to continue, with the global market size estimated to exceed US$50bn (£39bn) by 2030.
“It’s our first step into alcohol but with years selling some of the UK’s most popular soft drinks and the continued strong performance of our brands, we know we can make it success,” said Alpesh Mistry, Sales Director at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I.
“We have a number of people in our business who bring great previous experience of the alcohol market, so know we’re in a strong position to bring this exciting launch to consumers.”
