From The Financial Times.
The beginning of Ramadan on Monday will give a welcome boost to UK beverage company Nichols whose fruit cordial brand Vimto has become a key feature of the Muslim holy month in Saudi Arabia. Do Tizer and Irnbrew have a place?
The purple soft drink containing juices, herbs and spices was originally developed as a health tonic in 1908 to take advantage of growing demand for soft drinks created by the growth of the temperance movement before the first world war.
The drink has become a popular feature of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries as a pick-me-up beverage once daytime fasting is over.
Vimto is bottled and distributed in Saudi Arabia with advertising support by Aujan Industries, a local family business with whom Nichols has worked since the 1920s as it sought to establish the alcohol-free tipple throughout the British Empire and beyond.
John Nichols, chairman, said strong first-half sales of Vimto, aided by Ramadan’s earlier occurrence this year due to the advancing lunar calendar, had helped mitigate tougher domestic trading for its other core beverage brands Sunkist and Panda.
While other western brands such as Knorr soups are also heavily marketed as suited to Ramadan’s fasting regime, Vimto has established a particular appeal says Mr Nichols.
I’m not a fan of Vimto which is why the item below has lasted so long at the back of my fridge. But it is still in date so I suspect its days are numbered now that my family is aware of its presence on the premises . . .