As sales of beer for restaurants declined due to the spread of the new coronavirus, Suntory announced a new product of "zero sugar" canned beer in an attempt to capture demand for households.
Beer companies are actively introducing products that meet consumers' health consciousness.
On the 24th, Suntory Beer announced a new product of "zero sugar" canned beer with sugar below the standard.
By developing a technology that retains the umami of malt and removes sugar without lowering the alcohol content, it aims to capture the demand of consumers who tend to avoid beer because it has a lot of sugar and feels "easy to gain weight". ..
The company estimates the overall market size of domestic beer-based beverages, and according to this, last year, the sales volume of commercial beer was affected by the shortening of restaurant business hours and the refraining from banquets due to the spread of the new corona infection. It decreased by 42% compared to the previous year.
On the other hand, the sales volume of canned beer increased by an estimated 1%, and Suntory Beer's marketing manager Tatsuo Wada said, "In the post-infection era, products that consider not only taste but also health are required. I'm talking.
Beer companies are actively selling health-conscious products. Kirin Breweries launched "zero sugar" canned beer last year as its main brand, and Asahi Breweries had an alcohol content in March. We are planning to release a beer-flavored beverage with a beer-flavored content of 0.5%.
Health-oriented products are selling well at liquor stores
While sales of commercial beer are declining due to shortened business hours of restaurants and self-restraint of banquets, sales of canned beer for home use and third beer tend to increase due to so-called "nested demand" at retail sites. ..
At a liquor retail specialty store in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, sales of beer-based beverages have increased by about 20% since the spread of the infection compared to before the spread of the infection.
Among them, health-oriented products with reduced sugar and purines, and low-alcohol and non-alcoholic products with reduced alcohol content are selling well.
Customers said, "Because I spend more time at home and have less opportunities to exercise, I've become more concerned about the calories of alcohol." "Since I have more opportunities to drink at home and the amount has increased, it has become a health-oriented product. It means that there are voices such as "I changed it."
Takahiro Sakamoto of "Yamaya East Japan" said, "Health-oriented products have been popular for a long time, but the spread of infection has increased the number of people who care about weight and health, and the demand is increasing." ..
Beer makers are also announcing health-oriented products one after another in order to capture such demand, and Kirin Brewery launched "zero sugar" canned beer under its main brand in October last year, and is expected by the middle of this month. We sell more than 2.5 million cases.
Sapporo Breweries launched a non-alcoholic beer in June last year that contains ingredients that lower uric acid levels.