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!
Key facts
- 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.
- Date: March 30, 2026
Direct answer
The Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free series surpasses 1.8 billion bottles at the fastest pace, leading the "sugar-free chuhai" market.
- Citation
- 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! (March 30, 2026)
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- March 30, 2026
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 30, 2026 at 05:11
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 26, 2026 at 21:27 (1384h 16m after Published)
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 primary reason for the rapid growth of the "sugar-free chuhai" category?
The primary reason for the rapid growth is the increasing consumer trend of moving away from alcohol and the popularity of non-sweet, fruit-forward tasting beverages.
What makes the Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free series stand out in the market?
The Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free series is made without any sugars or sweeteners, offering a non-sweet and fruit-forward taste, which has led to its significant market success.
How many bottles of the Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free series have been sold, and what is its market position?
The Kirin Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free series has surpassed 1.8 billion bottles sold at the fastest pace among Kirin's RTD brands launched in the past 20 years, becoming the No.1 brand in their RTD sales.
What is the definition of "sugar-free chuhai" as used in this article?
In this article, "sugar-free chuhai" is defined as chuhai products that actively promote being "sugar-free" in their marketing and composition.
How has the market share of the "sugar-free chuhai" category changed in recent years?
Since the launch of "Hyoketsu® Sugar-Free" in 2020, the "sugar-free chuhai" category's share in the RTD market has expanded approximately 5 times by 2025.