As people move away from alcohol, "Sugar-Free Chuhai"*2, a new mainstream category consumed by one out of two people*1, is driving the market with Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free series surpassing 1.8 billion bottles*3 at the fastest pace!
The Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free series surpasses 1.8 billion bottles at the fastest pace, leading the "sugar-free chuhai" market.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 28, 2026 at 00:22
- 🔍 Collected: March 28, 2026 at 21:59 (21h 37m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 02:13 (412h 13m after Collected)
Kirin Beer Co., Ltd. (President Hideki Horiguchi) sells the "Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free (hereinafter referred to as Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free)" series, which is made without any sugars or sweeteners, offering a non-sweet and fruit-forward taste. Since its launch in 2020, it has grown to become the No.1*5 brand in our RTD*4 sales and has surpassed 1.8 billion bottles at the fastest pace among our RTD brands launched in the past 20 years, leading the "sugar-free chuhai" category. Ahead of the liquor tax revision scheduled for October, we conducted a survey on the actual consumption of the "sugar-free chuhai" category, which has been rapidly expanding in the RTD market in recent years.
*1: January 2024 - December 2025_Among those who purchase alcohol 4 times or more a year / Estimated by Kirin Beer using Macromill QPR data (N=16,011 people)
*2: "Sugar-free Chuhai" is defined as chuhai that promotes being "sugar-free"
*3: Converted to 350ml bottles as of the end of February 2026
*4: Abbreviation for Ready to Drink. Alcoholic beverages that can be drunk directly after opening the cap.
*5: "Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free" series 2025 annual shipment results
From 2020, when "Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free" was launched, to 2025, the "sugar-free chuhai" category's share in the RTD market has continuously expanded by approximately 5 times [Figure 1]. In 2024, it surpassed the purchase volume of highballs, and while the purchase volume of other categories such as beer and sugar-sweetened chuhai stagnated or remained flat, it can be said that this category has established its popularity. [Figure 2]
■"Sugar-Free Chuhai" is a new standard for alcoholic beverages, purchased by 1 in 2 people!
According to the survey*6, it was found that as people move away from alcohol, one out of two people (50.0%) drink "sugar-free chuhai" [Figure 3]. Even among those who "don't drink much alcohol," many customers...
FAQ
What is the main characteristic of the "Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free" series?
It is made without any sugars or sweeteners, offering a non-sweet and fruit-forward taste.
How many bottles of the "Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free" series have been surpassed, and at what pace?
It has surpassed 1.8 billion bottles at the fastest pace among Kirin's RTD brands launched in the past 20 years.
How much did the "sugar-free chuhai" category's share in the RTD market expand from 2020 to 2025?
The category's share in the RTD market has continuously expanded by approximately 5 times during that period.
What is the definition of "Sugar-free Chuhai" according to the article's footnotes?
It is defined as a type of chuhai that promotes itself as being "sugar-free."
Which category's purchase volume did the sugar-free chuhai category surpass in the year 2024?
The sugar-free chuhai category surpassed the purchase volume of highballs in 2024.