JAPAN: Sapporo to launch hay fever fighting drink

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 29 November 2006

In a new development in the functional drinks market, Sapporo Beverage Co., part of Sapporo Holdings group, is to launch a drink that help to alleviate the main symptoms of hay fever.

The new beverage, called Sapporo Hoppu Kenkyujo, contains 100mg of extract from hops that contains flavonol. The brand will be available in two flavours - green tea and grapefruit. The green tea-flavoured drink will come in a 350ml bottle, and the grapefruit flavour in a 100ml bottle. The drinks will be launched on 15 January.

Sapporo announced in September that joint research conducted with Dr Tadao Enomoto of the Japanese Red Cross Society had revealed that flavonol extracted from hops was an effective means of alleviating hay fever symptoms.

In the study, 20 hay fever sufferers were given trial samples of the drinks on a daily basis. The drinks relieved sneezing in 60% of the subjects, and running noses in 55%, the company said.

Sectors: Soft drinks

Companies: Sapporo