The Choice Of A New Nihon-jineration

There's been a battle between Coca-Cola and Pepsi for a long, long time. Regular readers know my preference, so I'm not going to toot one company's horn here in this particular blog.
Instead... I thought you would like a peek to see what these two mega soft-drink giants have been doing over in Japan.
To be honest, Coca-Cola has had - to my knowledge just one terrible Coke-based softdrink only available in Japan. That's the Green-Tea Coke. Available for a limited time in the summer of 2009, Coca Cola (Japan) Co. said it contained tea antioxidants called catechins that leaves a slight green tea aftertaste. Why? The cola targeted at health-conscious women in their 20s and 30s. Why? I ask again. Apparently Coke said it "wanted to cater to people who are looking for something that tastes good but is also good for health and beauty.”
Let's look at Pepsi... who have been working hard to corner the market on exotic Pepsi Cola flavours in Japan.

Also released in 2009, Pepsi Cola released it basil-flavoured Pepsi Shiso. Yeesho! This was a limited flavour of Pepsi Cola. What the heck is shiso? Apparently - and I had to look it up (always a bad sign if the drink you are drinking is made from something you have never heard of in 40+ years of soft-drink imbibing) is a mint-like herb. Pepsi Shiso smells like mint, pine and fennel. Kind of like a floor cleaner. Taste-wise, people say it was soapy and perfume-like - but who the heck is drinking perfume to know what that tastes like? Going into the mouth, it has a pine-flavour, followed by a mint-like aftertaste. Geez. It too sold out very quickly. Perhaps consumers have a lot of floors that need disinfecting.


In 2007, Pepsi released Cucumber Pepsi, and in 2008 Blue Hawaii Pepsi. 

The Cucumber Pepsi is a combination of cucumber and cola. d'uh. Unfortunately, reports have it that there wasn't much cola flavour, with the artificial cucumber flavour taking centre stage. It was often described as sweet and fruity... which is surprising considering the cucumber is a vegetable. Apparently it's okay for a few sips - until the god-awful aftertaste kicks in. It sold out in less than a month in Japan - proving that some people will drink anything.
The Blue Hawaii Pepsi was based on the Blue Hawaii alcoholic drink. I lived in Japan for quite a while and spent most of that time in a bar or three... not once did I come across anyone drinking a Blue Hawaii. We had a Kamakazi's - which attacked American ships in World War II, but despite the Imperial Army wanting Hawaii, I never saw the common populace clamour for this drink.  

The alcoholic drink is made up of: rum, pineapple, Blue Curacao, vodka and some sort of sweet and sour mix. It also comes with a giant umbrella just in case it wasn't masculine enough for you.
Pepsi's version, I'm betting, did not come with rum or Blue Curacao. It had a pineapple and lemon flavour that was sweet and artificial... still... people bought all of it - and probably drank it and had blue pee.
Oh... and just to make sure Japan also got a healthy soda pop, Pepsi also released a limited edition of Pepsi White in the winter of 2008.
Guess what's in it to make it white? No... not snow. Whiteout? You wish. No... this is a mixture of cola and... yogurt.

Surprisingly... it was not that bad... just a little weak in the yogurt flavour. Even now, nearly two-and-a-half years later, no one is sure whether any real live yogurt bacteria were harmed in the creation of this softdrink. Yougurt in a softdrink is not that rare out in Asia, so this one was very well received by the Japanese.

In 2010, Pepsi was at it again, and in October released its limited edition tastefest... Pepsi Mont Blanc. While my first thought was that it might taste like a PEN, but instead, it tasted like... chestnuts. The Mont Blanc this Pepsi drink is inspired by, is either a mountain in Quebec, Canada,  or the one in Italy that is the highest mountain in The Alps. Being Canadian I'll assume the former. But knowing me, assume I'm wrong.
Pepsi Mont Blanc's chestnut flavour was apparently inspired by a famous Mont Blanc dessert that is made with pureed chestnuts and whipped cream. Wikipedia has a note on it HERE. But despite the name meaning 'White Mountain'... the photo in Wikipedia shows a chocolate topping.
Pepsi Japan also released the awe-inspiring Pepsi Baobab for 2010.
I know. What the fug is a baobab? Apparently it's the fruit from a baobab tree that is native to Madagascar, Africa and Australia. Okay... so this is a flavour the Japanese know and love. Not.
Really? Who comes up with these flavours for the Japanese? Usually the Japanese are very adventurous folks and will eat anything - as long as it's Japanese. But baobab? How heck are the Japanese going to ask for a baobab? I can't even type it let alone say it!
According to those who have tasted it and lived to tell the tale, Pepsi Baobab has a pleasant and light citrus scent. Its flavour is also light, starting off with orange and then followed with a grapefruit-ish back end. Despite it being a 'cola', there is little actual cola taste, as the chestnut flavour seems to dominate. But, either the tongue gets used to the taste and finds it disturbing, or perhaps the artificial baobab flavouring changes when the beverage gets a little warm - but apparently it's yucky. You are advised to chug it cold.
For 2011 - No one is sure what Pepsi has in mind. Coca-Cola... thank goodness, has not seen fit to continue playing this taste abomination game with the Japanese.
Why the hell are these companies - and Burger King, too (see this BLOG) - playing with the Japanese people?

Somewhere wishing I had a bottle of Coke Clam - well, Diet Coke Clam - because I'm toning my mussels,
Andrew Joseph
PS: Background on this blog entry's title: Pepsi marketed itself once as "the choice of the new generation". Nihon-jin is what the Japanese call themselves... I just mixed up Nihon-jin with generation. Everybody can stop laughing now at how witty I am.
PPS: I'm sure Pepsi will once again come up with an interesting new limited time-only soft drink for 2011. But since even Coca-Cola seems nice enough to have stopped making crazy concoctions for the Japanese - I can only hope Pepsi will come to its senses too. After earthquakes, a tsunami and radiation concerns, haven't the people of Japan suffered enough? Personally... I think it's just the gaijin (foreigners) who are buying this kitschy crap. I would try a Pepsi Mont Blanc, however.