TOKYO—The drink in the bottle might look clear, but one tastes like coffee, another is flavored like Coca-Cola and a third lays claim to “beer taste.”
Japanese beverage makers are increasingly producing products that look like water but taste like other drinks, betting that consumers want the taste of Coke or beer in a healthier-looking clear liquid. The latest wave of water-like drinks hints at the contortions companies must go through to satisfy consumer demands for flavorful drinks that are also good for you and inoffensive-looking.
...