Support for the prevention of non-communicable diseases
By supporting the daily eating habits of customers, we will contribute to addressing lifestyle-related diseases and maintaining health.
Initiatives
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.” Therefore, Kirin Beverage, as a company that provides drinks that are essential to everyday life, hopes to contribute to the healthy lives of customers in a state of mental and social well-being, by enriching their minds through a fun life with delicious drinks, and the people-to-people connection that drinks bring. Based on this concept, we are expanding our product development and sales based on the pillars of "Sugar-free / Low-sugar segment" and the "Functional health segment", as concrete initiatives to support the physical health of our customers.
“Sugar-free / Low-sugar segment” means addressing consumers’ need to reduce sugar and calorie intake in light of growing health consciousness.As such, based on food labeling standards, we propose “sugar-free” products with a sugar content of 0.5g or less per 100ml and “low-sugar” products with a sugar content of 2.5g or less per 100ml. The "Functional health segment" refers to proposals that contribute to healthy living by using ingredients with evidence of health functions.
Sugar-free / Low-sugar segment
A representative example of “Sugar-free / Low-sugar segment” is Kirin Gogo-no-Kocha Oishii Muto (sugar-free). We have continued to develop this product to dispel the image that "no-sugar black tea is bitter and astringent, and does not taste good." As a result, it is now popular among our customers as a “refreshing and delicious no-sugar black tea.” This product is a “Sugar-free / Low-sugar segment” even for consumers who are not health-conscious, because they drink it as a “delicious black tea.”
Kirin Gogo-no-Kocha Oishii Muto (sugar-free) is now very popular among our customers, but it has required continuous trial and error to get to this point. In addition to developing technologies to reduce bitterness and astringency and achieve a refreshing and delicious taste, we have also been aiming to create a “black tea that can be enjoyed with meals,” in order to create a stronger connection with customers and to make them accustomed to no-sugar black tea as a part of their daily lives, based on our strength in great refreshing tastes.
Functional health segment
A representative example of a product in the “Functional health segment” is iMUSE. iMUSE contains Kirin's proprietary Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (LC-Plasma) and, as a food with functional claims, supports the maintenance of immune function in healthy people.
How important is it to maintain immune function? Many people have recognized the importance of maintaining immune function, but even people's consciousness of their health has waned, its importance will not change. Surely, that is why we must support the continuous self-care of our customers by providing them with non-alcoholic beverages that are familiar to them and that they can enjoy.
Background of Kirin's Efforts
Consumers’ health-consciousness has increased significantly owing to social changes symbolized by the phrase “the age of 100-year life expectancy”. Yet it is certainly not easy to translate that consciousness into action and habits. Our efforts as a manufacturer of non-alcoholic beverages lie precisely in this difficult area.
"Proximity" and "easiness" are essential for turning behavior into habits. For example, even if people go to a gym to maintain their health, they lose interest if the gym is far away, and if exercise is not fun, it is difficult for people to continue with it. In this respect, non-alcoholic beverages can always be nearby for consumers, and can always deliver a great taste. We believe that this is where Kirin Beverage's unique support for self-care for healthy people and people with pre-disease comes into play. Eventually, together with the iMUSE brand, we intend to make immune function care a natural health habit for our customers, alongside diet, sleep, and exercise.
What we aim for is health, not just physically, but also enrichment both mentally and in terms of connections with people. In addition to providing physical support based on the pillars of "" and the "Functional health segment," we also want to contribute to the enrichment of customers' minds. This is how Kirin Beverage aims to support self-care for healthy people and people with pre-disease.
(Talk: Tsutomu Nishimura, Manager Divisional Planning Group Marketing Dept, Kirin Beverage Company, Limited * Affiliation correct at time of interview)
