Aster Launches Yamagata La France Chuhai Made with Domestic Straight Juice

Aster, a chuhai series committed to straight fruit juice, is launching a new flavor: Aster Yamagata La France Chuhai.

Made with Straight Juice from Yamagata-Grown La France Pears

Often called the "Queen of Fruits," La France is a Western pear prized for its rich aroma, melt-in-the-mouth texture and refined sweetness. By using straight juice, the chuhai brings out the natural flavor of the La France pear.

A Taste of Autumn and Winter, a Little Ahead of the Season

To maintain the quality of La France pears, a "sales reference date" is set every year in Yamagata Prefecture as a guideline for when sales begin. Typically, when October arrives, La France pears draw attention in stores and the media ahead of their peak season, and their presence grows as a fruit that represents autumn and winter. This chuhai lets people enjoy the flavor of La France a little ahead of the season, before the pears fill store displays in earnest.

Background: A Chance to Discover Domestic Fruit and Where It Grows

Aster was born from a desire to share the deliciousness of domestic fruit and the appeal of the regions where it is grown. The chuhai series is committed to straight juice, and so far it has offered products from fruits across Japan that bring out each fruit's distinctive aroma, sweetness and acidity.

The aim is not simply to add more flavors. The idea is that an encounter with a single drink leads to curiosity, such as "I want to try eating this fruit" or "I want to learn about this region." Creating these new encounters between fruit and the places it comes from is part of how Aster develops its products.

That commitment has also earned recognition overseas. Aster Fukushima Momo (Fukushima peach) became the first product from a Japanese company to win the top prize, "WORLD'S BEST," at the World Premix Awards 2026, an international ready-to-drink (RTD) competition held in the UK. The award goes to the single best product chosen from among the Gold medal winners in each category.

The new Aster Yamagata La France Chuhai is also made with domestic straight juice, bringing out the refined sweetness and vibrant aroma characteristic of La France pears.

Aster is a chuhai that can be enjoyed one can at a time, and the series continues to focus on the deliciousness of domestic fruit and the appeal of the regions behind it.