Student-created Craft Cola Quenches Thirst of Mie Pref.
13:14 JST, February 28, 2023
TSU — Online orders for craft cola developed by local high school students and a chamber of commerce have been flooding in since the drink was released in mid-December.
Developed by students at Mie Prefectural Hakusan High School and private Aoyama High School, both located in the Hakusan-cho area of Tsu, the beverage is made from locally sourced rice, among other ingredients, and has already sold 400 bottles online and via other channels.
Development of the beverage began in July last year when the chamber of commerce wanted to include the ideas of young locals into a project for creating an attractive new product amid the ongoing depopulation of the area.
Students came up with the idea of producing craft cola, a carbonated beverage made of citrus fruits and spices. After tasting existing craft cola, they decided to use locally grown rice, a specialty of the area. With the help of a manufacturing company in Nabari, Mie Prefecture, the students produced samples of the soda in their home economics classroom at Hakusan High School, among other places.
After making several samples, the students were in two minds about which one to put on the market — either the one made with rice, or the other made with rice powder. To help them decide, they asked 1,183 people visiting the local Tsu Matsuri festival in October to taste the two to get feedback.
Both types proved popular, so the students decided to release both: the Hakusan High School version that has a distinctive rice flavor and spicy taste, and the Aoyama High School version that has a slightly, thick consistency as a result of using rice powder.
Both schools adopted different approaches to designing the label, with Hakusan School students featuring baseball equipment and the sun to represent youth, while Aoyama High School students incorporated the soda’s ingredients, including cinnamon, rice and lemons.
A 200g bottle of liquid concentrate (¥1,944 including tax) is available online at the Mienaka online store https://mienaka.com
"Features" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Famous Weeping Cherry Tree in Full Blossom in Fukushima Pref. Town
-
Traditional Japanese Knife Store in Tokyo’s Ningyocho District Dates to Edo Period
-
Tokyo Station’s Reconstructed Domes Bring Back Prestigious Tradition; Station Building Hotel Loved by Literary Giants
-
Diamond Fuji Observed in Shizuoka Pref., Attracting Photographers
-
Vows to be ‘Ambitious’ at Hokkaido Statue Hit 100,000; Famous Quote Attributed to Sapporo Agricultural College Professor Clark Lives On
JN ACCESS RANKING
- China Mutes Memorialization of Reformer Hu Yaobang; Memories Could Spark Critique of Xi Administration
- Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
- U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
- UNRWA Director Describes Catastrophic Destruction in Gaza; Says Relief Trucks Robbed, ‘People’s Hearts Destroyed’
- JAL Airplane Experiences Radio Malfunction During Flight, Lands Safely By Relying on Light Signals