No.9010   2005. 1. 20

Spring New Release in Soft Drink Lineup:
“Oolong Tea On'incho,” “Lipton Leaf in,” and more

Suntory Ltd. is to release the following new soft drink lineups, including “Oolong Tea On'incho” and “Lipton Leaf in,” for spring 2005 in Japan nationwide, offering more varieties and fresh tastes:

• [Suntory Oolong Tea On'incho]
- Newly introducing soft-taste, fresh oolong tea -

“Suntory Oolong Tea,” since its 1981 release, has been widely supported by customers for its “tasteful body and astringency” as a beloved standard brand. This year marks the 25th anniversary for the product, releasing a new line “Oolong Tea On'incho.”
”Suntory Oolong Tea” is made from savory tea leaves selected by accredited tea masters in Fujian Province, China, and popular for its unique relish and fragrance described as yu xiang hui wei (praising for ‘good scent and taste’ in Mandarin Chinese). As a contrast to the existing standard line popular for ‘deep body and sharpness’ called Gan'in, “Oolong Tea On'incho” attempts to deliver subtle, soft, and colorful relish called On'in. Keeping the feel of the original design, the packaging includes Chinese ceramics motif in gold to express its profound features. The tealeaf icon represents soft relish of On'incho.
Suntory hopes the introduction of “Oolong Tea On'incho” will bring in a fresh sphere to oolong tea, expanding the ground through campaigns and advertisement.

• [Suntory Green Tea IEMON 350ml pet bottle]
- Releasing a new lineup of popular selling “IEMON” -

Released in last March, “IEMON” is an authentic green tea using the leaves exclusively chosen by a tea master from a long-established teahouse “Fukuju-en” in Kyoto with over 200 years of history. With its carefully selected water and making process, “IEMON” received considerable market praise to achieve 26 million cases in 7.5 months, supposedly the first-year record sales for the soft drink new release, selling 34.2 million cases in 2004, or an annual sales equivalent of 45 million cases. This year “IEMON 350ml pet bottle” will be released to reach out to more IEMON fans in all occasions. The popular motif of bamboo is still used in this 350ml bottle packaging.

• [Suntory Life Partner DAKARA]
- Fully re-launching in new package and taste. “DAKARA” evolved. -

“DAKARA,” since its 2000 release, has received a strong support base from diversified customers as “daily health drink.” This spring “DAKARA” will be re-launched in new content and package as even more evolved functional beverage.
Keeping its basic concept based on the latest national nutrition research published in 2002, DAKARA balances the Japanese's over-consumed (i.e., fat, salt, calories) with the lacking nutrition (i.e., calcium, magnesium, fiber) strengthened further this time. A touch of grapefruit flavor adds a refreshing, smooth taste. A new 500ml pet bottle represents an evolution of “DAKARA,” expressing freshness as well as a healthy, clean image.
Along with the re-launch, advertisement campaigns will take onto another sphere to reflect the theme “the Japanese and Health” endorsed by celebrities and athletes from various fields. Sampling and other activities at a variety of venues including medical institutions will continue to reinforce delivering the message of DAKARA and to promote a healthy life.

• [Suntory Energy-burning Amino Shiki]
- Introducing new powerful package and content -

“Suntory Energy-burning Amino Shiki” has gained a reputation for its refreshing fragrance and smooth relish through a unique TV commercial campaign and established a solid position in functional beverage since its release in 2003. This time “Amino Shiki” will be re-launched with a new content and package, leaving 2,000mg of amino acid and increasing a ratio of aspartic acid. Along with smooth, mellow, lychee flavor, new “Amino Shiki” offers more refreshing after-taste by its vigorous image of packaging.
TV commercials and other advertising campaigns will be renewed to better communicate the world of “Amino Shiki” and “Catechin Shiki.”

• [Suntory Healthy-style Catechin Shiki]
- Marketing a new release tastier and easier-to-drink -

“Suntory Healthy-style Catechin Shiki” has been widely supported by customers for its exquisite balance between astringency of catechin and taste of amino acid, which led to a favorable sales result of 10 million cases last year. This time the content and packaging will be renewed to pursue for a tastier and easier-to-drink product.
The content uses 300mg of natural catechin per 500ml, increasing the amount of tea leaves by 10% to make after-taste more smooth with powdered green tea material called “tencha.” The packaging is a diversion from the original design, expressing a healthy image of “Catechin Shiki” with green gradation and tealeaf illustrations. Together with “Amino Shiki,” “Catechin Shiki” will be marketed through unique advertising activities including TV commercials to convey the world of this series.

• [Suntory Natchan!]
- Re-launching “Orange” and “Honey Apple,” and introducing a spring limited edition “White Grape” -

“Suntory Natchan!” since its 1998 release, has been popular among customers in all ages for its smooth and fruity flavor. This year “Natchan! Orange & Honey Apple” will be re-launched with increased juicy taste. “White Grape” will also join the family as a spring limited edition.

<Features of content>
[Suntory Natchan! Orange]
This non-sugar, non-artificially-colored drink keeps its smooth after-taste, while increasing juice by 30% in content to enhance its fresh and juicy flavor. Moderate sweet and sour taste of orange makes it all-time favorite.

[Suntory Natchan! Honey Apple]
Keeping the popular balanced taste of apple and honey, the drink increased apple juice in content to create even juicier fruity feel. Fresh apple and mild honey tastes are combined to offer a soft touch beloved by customers across generations.

[Suntory Natchan! White Grape]
Characterized by fresh sweet and sour white grape juice, this edition is perfectly suitable for the spring. White grape taste successfully delivers a fresh and smooth feel. The soothing green colored package and “2005 Spring” labeling appeal its novelty as a spring limited edition.

• [Suntory Gokuri Original Grapefruit]
- Re-launching in new content and packaging of tasty grapefruits -

“Gokuri Grapefruit,” since its inauguration, has been highly praised by customers in various segments for its tasty features as if drinking the whole crushed fresh fruits. This time “Gokuri” will be re-launched with a new content and package to pursue for real taste of grapefruits. Balancing bitterness and sourness of the fruits, “Gokuri” is added more refreshing touch. With a blue-base packaging, yellow grapefruit icons convey simple and clear image of the drink. 'Original Grapefruit' logo also represents its tasteful features.

• [PEPSI Twist] [Diet PEPSI Twist]
- Evolving balance between cola and lemon. Powerful new releases! -

“PEPSI Twist” and “Diet PEPSI Twist” have been strongly supported by customers as a new cola drink for its refreshing after-taste with lemon juice, which opened a new chapter in the cola market. This time PEPSI will re-launch its contents and packaging with a theme of “more refreshing!” and revise the balance of cola and increased lemon juice.
The packaging will consolidate its fresh feel by adapting bright blue in “PEPSI Twist” and white-base with silver accent in “Diet PEPSI Twist.” Both products use the worldwide new posh PEPSI logo to further promote its established position and novelty look.

“PEPSI Cola” and “Diet PEPSI” will also adapt the new PEPSI logo to appear in a new package on 15 March. Further promotional activities will be implemented to push forward the new and fresh image of the “PEPSI” brand.

• [Suntory Tennensui]
- Using Universal Design Bottle “Finger Pocket Bottle” -

“Suntory Tennensui” brand takes extra care of quality control as a safe natural mineral water for all, ensuring protection of natural environment around water source. Highly supported by customers for its quality and smooth taste, “Suntory Tennensui (Southern Alps) & (Aso)” will be re-launched in a new appearance.
”Suntory Tennensui (Southern Alps)” 2L pet bottles adapt new UD or Universal Design* “finger pocket bottle,” whose middle part is slimmer and shaped as a finger grip for stabler holding.
A front packaging of both (Southern Alps) and (Aso) keeps the existing utopia image of natural mineral water Suntory believes in with clear air and rich green forest, while renewing illustrations of a back side label.

*UD (or Universal Design)
Universal Design attempts to accommodate products or environment to be designed in a way equally usable to people in all ages, genders, nationalities, physical mobility. Suntory stipulated a basic policy of UD in 2000, promoting the movement through its UD team.

• [Contrex]
- Introducing French slimming water in a new package -

Suntory, since September 2003, has been involved in retail sales of French natural mineral water “Contrex,” imported by Nestle Japan Group (Kobe City base, CEO: Jose Lopez), receiving a strong support especially from female customers. This time the packaging renewal in France is reflected to release a new design in the Japanese version. Keeping its bottle shape reflecting a female bodyline, the new packaging includes striking ‘C’ and ‘X’ characters in Contrex's logo to be integrated in a heart shape. A pink and blue label together with a cap in pink gives an eye-catching impression, and ‘clear bottles’ continue to be used for easier recycling.

“Contrex” uses clear water at Contrexville located in northeastern France as a water source. Even among European ‘hard’ natural mineral water, “Contrex” is rich in minerals to realize a tasteful touch with hardness of 1551. “Contrex” 1L bottle contains 486mg of calcium and 84mg of magnesium.
Supplementing essential minerals such as calcium and magnesium, “Contrex” is popular as a ‘slimming partner’ in over 40 countries around the world and the first accredited mineral water in France for its credible brand history.

• [Vittel]
- Newly releasing 500ml round-shaped pet bottle for easier carrying-along -

French mineral water “Vittel,” since its introduction in January 2003, has been well received as a premier imported mineral water containing high minerals such as calcium and magnesium. More demands for mineral water itself and use outside home have made a 500ml version with round-shaped pet bottles available at vending machines. The new bottles also use transparent clear packaging specifically designed for the Japanese market for recycling.

As mineral water from eastern France with hardness of 307.1, “Vittel” contains 91mg of calcium and 19.9mg of magnesium per litter. Due to its rich mineral ingredients, the product is popular among world's top athletes in order to supplement those minerals after perspiration.

• [Lipton Leaf in]
- Releasing authentic black tea with special tea leaves -

Black tea expert Lipton releases new unsweetened tea “Lipton Leaf in.” The content base uses exclusively selected quality highland leaves* mostly from Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka. Not only tealeaves but also its special extraction method makes it Lipton's character unsweetened tea. The packaging expresses a soothing feel with ice, using an icon of quality highland leaves.

* Highland Leaf:
Tea leaves grown only in tea gardens located at over 1,200 meters above sea level. Highland leaves are characterized by (1) refreshing flavor and fragrance, (2) high aromatic ingredients due to temperature differences between daytime and evening, (3) quality recognition among tea experts, and more.

• [Lipton Limone]
- Introducing more refreshing, tastier “Limone” -

“Lipton Limone” is a new specialty lemon tea using Italian lemons grown under magnificent sunshine by the world leading tea specialist. Since its inauguration in 2002, Limone has been highly supported by a wide range of customers for its smooth, refreshing relish and aroma. This year the product will be re-launched with a new content even more refreshing and tastier in a finer packaging. Using more Italian lemons, Lipton Limone further highlights its characteristics. Highland leaves as a base add smooth black tea taste to the essence of lemon flavor. The packaging features refreshing “ice” to represent a lively and bright image of the product.
Lipton will continue to communicate its fresh and quality flavor through eye-catching TV commercials and other advertising campaigns. The add-in campaign will be implemented to promote these two products in early March.

▼ Product name, Volume / Packaging, Suggested retail price (excluding c-tax), release date

▼ Sales region: Japan nationwide

* Product re-launch

▽ Further information:
　Suntory Ltd.
　(Osaka) TEL: 06-6346-0835
　Dojimahama 2-1-40, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-8203, Japan
　(Tokyo) TEL: 03-5579-1150
　Daiba 2-3-3, Minato-ku, Tokyo 135-8631, Japan
　Website:http://www.suntory.co.jp/