Asahi has introduced its Japanese ready-to-drink brand Zeitaku Shibori to the US, marking the first time an Asahi RTD will be produced in-market.
The RTD will be manufactured at Octopi Brewing’s site in Waunakee, Wisconsin, where Asahi has invested US$35m to expand capacity and technical capabilities following its acquisition in 2024. The US range will debut with lemon and peach variants, developed jointly by Asahi’s Japan-based R&D team and Octopi’s innovation unit, and features a vodka base at 4% ABV per 35.5cl can.
Distribution will be handled by Wismettac across an initial group of markets, including Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey, New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle, as Asahi tests the brand’s potential in the country’s RTD category.
In February last year, Asahi appointed Paul Verdu as the MD of its Asahi Beer USA and Octopi Brewing operations as the pair focused on integrating into one business unit.
