Coca-Cola conducting pilot test of its alcohol-based beverage, Lemon-Dou

For the test run, the beverage has been priced at Rs 230 for a 250 ml can and is being sold in Goa and some parts of Maharashtra

Coca-Cola India is planning to foray into the alcohol segment, and the company has taken its first step with Lemon-Dou, its ready-to-serve alcohol beverage that it sells globally, The Economic Times (ET) has reported. To this end, the company has started a pilot test of the Lemon-Dou in Goa and some parts of Maharashtra.

A Coca-Cola India spokesperson told ET that the company is conducting a trial for Lemon-Dou in a few states in India. Lemon-Dou is a mix of Shochu, a distilled liquor similar to brandy and vodka, and lime, the report said. Elaborating on the development, the company told ET, "The preparation and distribution of these beverages is done separately in dedicated and independent facilities in India, which are different from the facilities that prepare and distribute its non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink (NARTD) beverages."

The first launch of Lemon-Dou

Lemon-Dou is an alcoholic cocktail that was first launched in Japan. For the test run, the beverage has been priced at Rs 230 for a 250 ml can. Chief of Marketing at Coca-Cola Global, Manolo Arroyo, told The Economic Times, "Alcohol is a very big category and we have on purpose decided to experiment."

Launched in 2018, Lemon-Dou was Coca-Cola's first ready-to-drink alcohol beverage. The product was introduced to position Coca-Cola as a "total beverages company."

Coca-Cola's India portfolio

Coca-Cola is India's largest soft drinks company, selling Coke, Sprite, Thums Up, Fanta, Limca fizzy drinks, Maaza, and Minute Juices. Besides these, the company also sells Kinley water, Honest tea, and coffee brands Georgia and Costa Coffee.

In October, Coca-Cola and spirits maker Pernod Ricard announced a global collaboration to introduce Absolut vodka and Sprite as a ready-to-drink pre-mixed cocktail. The cocktail is expected to hit the market in 2024. In its initial phase, the product will be sold in the UK, Netherlands, Spain, and Germany.