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Suntory tries carbonated coffee drink - Espressoda

28 Comments

In recent months, we’ve brought to you news on several interesting and creative beverages such as fat-busting cola, salty watermelon flavored Pepsi and Okinawa brown sugar cola.

Now, major beverage maker Suntory Holdings Limited has announced another new innovative drink that will come on to the Japanese market on July 31. The new drink, called Espressoda, is actually a carbonated coffee drink. However, based on the response on the internet, it appears that Japanese consumers are not so sure about coffee soda as a drink.

The drink combines the rich taste of espresso coffee with the refreshing feel of soda, and Suntory hopes it will be popular with the 20s to 30s age group. They have also made the packaging stylish, with a black and silver label on a plastic bottle with a unique surface texture created in the image of ice to give it a cool look. What’s also of note is that Suntory apparently spent 5.8 billion yen on new carbonating technology which made it possible to carbonate the drink without ruining the flavor of coffee in the process. That’s some expensive soda making technology.

While the idea of Esspresoda sounds intriguing, the response from Japanese Internet users has been somewhat lukewarm. Some people apparently have not had good experience in the past with other carbonated tea or coffee drinks. Others feel that people may buy the drink once out of curiosity but are not likely to make repeat purchases. Regardless, the drink will probably attract a certain amount of attention when it comes out next month.

Espressoda will be sold at a price of 140 yen for a 330ml (11.22oz) bottle. Since sales of carbonated drinks have risen significantly in Japan in the past five years, I’m sure we can expect more interesting sodas from Suntory in the future, especially now that they have their new carbonating technology.

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28 Comments
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Sounds terrible...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

5.8 billion yen to develop this? Call me nuts, but I think I will give it a try to see what carbonated coffee comes out like.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I'll try it but have low expectations. Usually, I find cold green tea to be the best choice during the day. A bit of caffeine, vitamin C, no calories and if it happens to actually fight cancer, that's an added bonus. I make a strong espresso at home every morning to kick-start the day. Grind the beans fresh, enjoy black, no sugar or milk. In warmer months I pour it into a beer mug that I keep in the freezer, cools it without diluting it.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

You can make it at home with instant coffee, sweetener and club soda. But I don't know if you'll save any money by doing it that way.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

God that sounds horrible. I'm just thinking about how it would feel in my mouth......just seems like an incredibly bad combination of taste and sensation.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It COULD be decent if Suntory doesn't add sweetners and unnecessary ingredients. I'll reserve judgement until I come to Tokyo and try it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I've never been a fan of soda, so I will admit I am likely to be very biased against this. But carbonated coffee is going to taste awful. I shudder to imagine it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Here we go again, they really need to stop making these Frankendrinks! These companies are seriously running out of ideas. What's next, "carbonated Horumon latte???" Jeeez!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@bass4funk, carbonated soy sauce is more likely ;P

However i still think there's room in the drinks market for something truly interesting, and not a truckload of questionable seasonal drinks.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Carbonation definitly stimulates the perception of quenching one's thirst but has anybody considering the effect on global warming of all the CO2 in the bottle.

That sound you hear when you open a carbonated drink is pure CO2 entering the atmosphere.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Yes and every time every human and animal exhales - CO2 is released - OMG!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Just open your bottle near a plant and it will thank you for that CO2. =)

2 ( +4 / -2 )

What the hell. Japan has taken over in technology, cars and motorcycles, animation, and now they are taking the one thing america is known for(fatty unhealthy foods) and Japan is taking that over too. I am not complaining AT ALL, I am just saying.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@ultradork

Yes and every time every human and animal exhales - CO2 is released - OMG!

We are just breathing out the CO2 that was already there to begin with. We don't really add any more to it.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Back on topic please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Even "normal" coffee (i.e., the non-carbonated stuff in a can sold in vending machines) in Japan does not have a proper "coffee" taste. No matter what the can says, whether its the stuff sold for 130 yen rather than 120 yen, whether it says the beans are super special or dark roasted, no matter what -- it all tastes like a bastardized version of a bad Starbucks drink. Even the "black" so-called bitter drinks taste like a black tea more than coffee. So I would be extremely surprised if this carbonated soda tasted anything remotely like coffee.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I am not sure if I want to try this..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

We are just breathing out the CO2 that was already there to begin with. We don't really add any more to it.

Not true, the respiratory process, like combustion, creates CO2. Each breathe generates more than existed before.

Drink up your CO2 in a bottle.

Maybe environmentalists will start throwing paint onto people who drink this stuff, much like they do to people who wear fur.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

So, it's kind of "Dr. Pepper" without the sugar? Wonder what will happen if you mix it with milk to make an espressoda-latte? Maybe calpis might work...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Two words: Acid reflux

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Yeah coffee and bubbles, what`s not to love about this?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Coke tried coffee-flavored cola about 10 years ago. It didn't last long, and hasn't been back. It tasted awful, and I like coffee.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sounds horrible. Naturally I'll try it.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Tried lemon tea soda a few years back. It actually wasn't bad. Not so keen on trying this one, though.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Somebody needs to be fired... fast.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I am usually eager and open minded about trying out all those new drinks. But, coffee soda, no thank you.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I´ll give it a try, but I expect it to be terrible. Still not worse that most of the other sugary gunk out there...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Can you bring it into Malaysia? I'll definitely buy a bottle.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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