(Mottainai Ponkan)
General Description
We all know that alcohol makes you feel good, but what about a drink that makes you feel good? What do I mean by that?
Well, let's first talk about "mottainai." You may have heard the phrase in a show or game, usually translated as "what a waste" or something similar. You may have also heard about the mottainai mindset in Japan. Although it might sound like the opposite, the mottainai mindset is the general idea to waste as little as possible, especially food.
Now back to the product at hand. Kirin's Mottainai uses fruits that, while perfectly fine, cannot be sold because they are misshapen and such as a step to reducing food loss. This project also aims to support Japanese agriculture workers. In fact, 1 yen of each can sales goes to them! You can find out more about the farmers who Kirin is working with and the project in general on their site, which is accessible via the QR code.
Because Mottainai uses fruits that would otherwise be disposed, this means that their product is limited. The flavour naturally also changes with the season. Today's flavour is ponkan. This product is actually Kirin's second in the series. They debuted this project with 浜なし - a pear flavour. The first product raised nearly 6 million yen!
Well, Kirin's Mottainai project is nice and all, but how does it actually taste? Let's jump in and find out!
Review
- Price
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138 JPY (can x 1) - Taste
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It tastes like an orange flavoured cider, rather than orange juice. It's slightly sweet, enough that it'll be fine for you if you either need a little sweetness or don't like overly sweet dessert-like drinks. It's also bit tangy. - Texture
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It's a regular fizzy drink.
- Smell
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It smells like a freshly peeled orange.
- Overall
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It's a nice, light drink that's refreshing. It also supports a good cause, so it's a win-win! It's not super special, but if you want a cooler, it's a good pick. - Would I try again?
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Yep! I'm looking forward to what flavours they'll use next season.
