Photo: PR Times
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Pepsi Japan to release its 'most refreshing' cola ever

18 Comments
By Master Blaster, SoraNews24

For most of my life I’ve never bought in to the whole “cola war” competition between Coke and Pepsi, as they generally tasted more or less the same to me. However, that whole perception changed after coming to Japan and watching Pepsi steadily and carefully up its game here over the years while Coke didn’t do much of anything.

And it’s a huge injustice to the beverage-loving world that Coca-Cola has relentlessly dominated the cola market in Japan to the point that I can’t even find Pepsi in a lot of convenience stores and supermarkets. Even setting aside the countless limited-edition novelty flavors like Christmas cake and cherry blossom that were all masterful, Pepsi has tirelessly updated its core formula to specifically cater to Japanese tastes.

In 2018 they released Pepsi J-Cola which was further refined to suit Japanese tastes specifically. Not only that but there were two versions, formulated to be drunk during the daytime and nighttime. The following year, Pepsi J-Cola begat Pepsi Japan Cola, which expanded even further on the customizing concept through the addition of yuzu. And let me tell you, if I had to chose a hands down “best cola ever” on the spot, Japan Cola would be it.

And they’re still not done!

Suntory has announced that yet another iteration of the Japan Cola series will be released on June 22, named Pepsi Nama Cola, and are declaring it “the most refreshing Pepsi ever.”

The Japanese word nama can be interpreted in different ways such as “raw,” “fresh,” and “life.” For example, nama biru would refer to a draft beer, nama de taberu is to eat something raw, and nama de hososuru means to broadcast live.

Pepsi Nama Cola seems to strive to incorporate all of those meanings. First, there’s its aforementioned unprecedented freshness which Suntory says was achieved by using “raw spices” that were prepared without heating. This is said to give the cola a deeper and more vibrant taste than before.

▼ Pepsi is also giving away two-packs of Pepsi Nama Cola and Pepsi Nama Zero in a Twitter campaign.

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All of this was done based on feedback from Japanese people who said they wanted a cola that made them “feel alive again” in the sense of going out and having a life rather than staying home and watching infection counts go up on TV.

It all sounds pretty ambitious, but comments online seem to have faith in the brand.

“I don’t get why it’s ‘nama’ but I want to try it.”

“I hope we can play rock, paper, scissors with Keisuke Honda again.”

“I wonder if it’s like draft beer.”

“I really like Pepsi so I want to try this right away.”

“Eh, normal Pepsi is fine.”

“Nama caramel and nama chocolate both got big, so why not nama cola?”

“If they put Pepsiman in the commercial, I’ll buy it.”

“Japan Cola is gross. I like regular Pepsi better.”

That last commenter has clearly suffered a tragic tongue injury that makes delicious things taste bad, but otherwise expectations are high for Pepsi Nama Cola. Hopefully it lives up to them when released next month and elevates Pepsi to its hard-earned place atop the Japanese market once and for all.

Source: PR Times, Hachima Kiko

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Pepsi’s new Japan Cola has a special ingredient: one of Japan’s most delicious sweets seasonings

-- Suntory releases new Pepsi soft drinks only available in Japan

-- We try the delicious new Japan-only sakura Pepsi【Taste test】

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

18 Comments
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"That last commenter has clearly suffered a tragic tongue injury that makes delicious things taste bad, but otherwise expectations are high for Pepsi Nama Cola."

Good ole Japan, can't have any individuality. Even in tastes of food and drink. Nope. Gotta follow the herd.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Its sad state how food products and consumer good in Japan are in a sad state. Can only market what your target customer wants and will sell.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Still artificial glucose at its maximum!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Never really liked the Zero Cola or Pepsi , but I'll give it a try.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Pepsi lost me since the awful pepsi shiso and pepsi azuki of a few years back.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Pepsi upside down is ded.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I miss the Lemon Pepsi that you could find everywhere about a decade ago and which is now impossible to find.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Bad for teeth, diabetes, and creates much trash, like every other soda, worthless products that are harmful to the human body , the planet's environment, and waste energy in manufacturing and distribution.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Pepsi upside down is ded.

Actually, it's !sdad

Don't know about Pepsi, but doesn't Coke has phosphoric acid? As if the sugar and CO₂ isn't enough.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

typo:

Don't know about Pepsi, but doesn't Coke have phosphoric acid? As if the sugar and CO₂ aren't enough.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It's actually quite good at taking the tar off the side of your car. Wouldn't drink it, though.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

All garbage, never knew what the hype was all about, can't tell the difference between the two and never liked them, always found both gross. Give me a tall glass of ice-cold water any day of the week, beats all of those carbonated drinks, hands down.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

never liked pepsi, tastes like sweetened flat coke

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I don't like carbonated drinks in general but have a certain loyalty to Coca-Cola as a company. After two major LA area earthquakes when tap water was not drinkable Coca-Cola showed up with truckloads of free water for everyone. We were all very grateful. Interestingly at least through the 1990s the Cokes in Mexico tasted much better than Cokes sold in the US. I haven't had the guts to cross that border since the 1990s so things may have changed in the interim.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I don't like carbonated drinks in general but have a certain loyalty to Coca-Cola as a company. After two major LA area earthquakes when tap water was not drinkable Coca-Cola showed up with truckloads of free water for everyone. We were all very grateful. Interestingly at least through the 1990s the Cokes in Mexico tasted much better than Cokes sold in the US. I haven't had the guts to cross that border since the 1990s so things may have changed in the interim.

Thank God during that time we had already enough water in the House to last for weeks so we never encountered that problem during the earthquakes and during the Rodney King riots. My family just hated the stuff. If I have to, I will do on occasion a Ginger Ale, I do like a root beer float from time to time or even a 7-up, but that is it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

> For most of my life I’ve never bought in to the whole “cola war” competition between Coke and Pepsi, as they generally tasted more or less the same to me. However, that whole perception changed after coming to Japan and watching Pepsi steadily and carefully up its game here over the years while Coke didn’t do much of anything.

Unfortunately, you have bought into the ‘big con’

The companies that hold stock in Coke and Pepsi are the same!

Any appearance of rivalry and competition is false.

Like the drinks themselves there is no substance to back up the rivalry...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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