If you've ever tried a Pepsi in Japan and wondered why it tastes nothing like the one at home, you're not imagining it. Pepsi in Japan is made and sold by Suntory under its own recipes, and most of the range has never been released in Australia. Here's what's out there – and how to get it delivered anywhere in Australia.
Pepsi Nama – the "raw" cola
Pepsi Nama (生, meaning raw or fresh) launched in Japan in 2024 and quickly became the country's main Pepsi. Instead of a heat-treated syrup, Suntory uses an unheated one, which gives a brighter, more citrusy cola with less of the heavy syrup finish Australians are used to. It's the cola that makes people say "wait, this is Pepsi?" Shop Pepsi Nama Cola 600ml.
Pepsi Big Zero – zero sugar, big bottle
Big Zero is the zero-sugar Pepsi Nama in a 600ml bottle – the size Japanese convenience stores are famous for. Same bright Nama taste, no sugar. If you drink Pepsi Max in Australia, this is the one to try side by side. Shop Pepsi Big Zero 600ml.
Pepsi Big Zero Lemon
Lemon Pepsi is a long-running Japanese favourite that has never made it to Australia. The Big Zero Lemon version pairs the zero-sugar Nama base with a sharp, real-lemon edge – very refreshing straight from the fridge in summer. Shop Pepsi Big Zero Lemon 600ml.
Pepsi Raw Spice Cola (classic and zero)
The Raw Spice colas are Suntory's spiced take on Pepsi Nama in a 340ml bottle: a deeper, more aromatic cola with warm spice notes, available with sugar or as a zero. These are the ones cola fans hunt down. Shop Raw Spice Classic · Shop Raw Spice Zero.
Seasonal and limited Pepsi releases
Japan also gets limited-run Pepsi flavours a few times a year – past releases have included sakura, salted watermelon, shiso and Christmas editions. They sell for a few months and disappear. We bring in limited editions whenever we can get them; they land on our Japanese Pepsi collection first, so bookmark it or sign up to our emails to hear when a new one drops.
Collecting Japanese Pepsi: what to look for
Japan is one of the most interesting countries in the world for Pepsi collectors. Suntory runs its own label designs, its own bottle formats and its own limited editions, so a Japanese Pepsi bottle looks and reads nothing like an Australian or American one: Japanese-language labels, the "生" (Nama) mark, the 600ml "Big" PET bottle that only exists in Japan, and the slim 340ml Raw Spice bottles. Limited runs are usually gone within a season, which is why the Japan-only flavours are among the harder ones to add to a Pepsi collection.
A few tips if you are buying for the shelf rather than the fridge:
- Buy single bottles. Every Japanese Pepsi we stock is available as a single bottle as well as by the carton, so you can pick up one of each flavour for the collection and a carton of your favourite for drinking.
- Check the best-before date on the listing. Sealed bottles keep their labels indefinitely, but if you plan to open one later, buy the freshest stock.
- Grab limited editions when they land. Seasonal Japanese Pepsi flavours sell out fast and are rarely re-imported; if a new one appears on our Japanese Pepsi page, that is usually the only window.
- Complete the Japan set. Nama Cola, Big Zero, Big Zero Lemon, Raw Spice Classic and Raw Spice Zero are the current core line-up — five bottles that most collectors outside Japan are still missing.
Collecting Pepsi from different countries? Japan is a great place to start, and we are one of the few Australian stores that keep the full Suntory line-up in stock.
Where to buy Japanese Pepsi in Australia
You won't find these at Woolworths or Coles. CRUNCH STASH imports Japanese Pepsi directly from Japan and ships from our Melbourne warehouse Australia-wide – no overseas postage, no waiting weeks. Buy a single bottle to try, or a carton of 24 for the best price per bottle. Browse the full Japanese Pepsi range, or explore more Japanese soft drinks and Japan-exclusive snacks and drinks.
