Suntory Global Spirits has announced the expansion of it Suntory -196 RTD lineup in Australia with the introduction of two new ABV formats – a 4.5 per cent and a nine per cent can.
Building on the successful legacy of the product in Japan, the new variations are designed to cater to a variety of consumer preferences and occasions.
Now available nationwide, -196 delivers an “unexpectedly bold, whole-fruit flavour” as a result of Suntory’s proprietary freeze crush infusion (FCI) technology.
Rooted in Japanese ingenuity, the FCI technology flash-freezes the whole fruit in liquid nitrogen at -196°C, crushes it and then infuses it into vodka and shochu.
Johnny Morgan, Senior Marketing Director at Suntory Global Spirits explained how -196 meets the demands of the Australian market for RTDs.
“The RTD category continues to evolve in Australia, and our incredible -196 brand helps us meet the ongoing demand for high quality, full flavour experiences in the category. This is a distinct product because of the Japanese ingenuity behind it, and we continue to be excited by consumers’ response to our new innovations from the brand.”
These new products from -196 are among the first to be produced from Suntory Oceania’s $400m state-of-the-art, carbon-neutral Swanbank Beverage Facility.
As previously announced, Suntory Global Spirits and Suntory Beverage & Food have created a multi-beverage powerhouse, Suntory Oceania, bringing the best of Suntory from across Australia and New Zealand.
The new facility gives the company greater opportunity for innovating in flavours, formats and other Japanese-inspired concepts.
This comes as Suntory launches several exciting trade, customer and consumer initiatives in Australia in the latter half of 2025, including a three-month ‘Suntory Bar’ residency at Sydney’s Prefecture 48.
The three-month activation running from 8 August to 8 November, not only serves Suntory’s high-end whiskies and cocktails, but also -196 in cans and cocktail spritz form. The new -196 variants are available now at major retailers in single cans and 4-packs, with the 4.5 per cent cans also available in a 10-pack.