Soda companies it is not just coke and pepsi or even Dr. Pepper especially when it comes to asian soda brands
Food is a pretty specific cultural thing. Every region has its national dishes and rituals and these form our tastes and preferences. An older person who has never tasted hot, spicy food, may have left it too late to enjoy a good curry: the first time they try something even a little mild, they are likely to find it a shock. Even as apparently a universal product as soda is specifically tailored to different markets around the world. While you can pick up a Coke in most places, the cans and bottles surrounding it in the fridge are likely to be less familiar to you the further you travel from home.
It makes for some pretty surprising combinations. In Japan, for example, the Pepsi company provide a peculiar range of alternative sodas to suit the local needs. Salty Watermelon sounds like an oxymoron – both refreshing and thirst-making! Apparently, the Japanese enjoy it as a form of savory soda. Pepsi also make a yoghurt-themed soda, known as ‘Pepsi White’, and another regional specialty called Pepsi Ice Cucumber. No prizes for guessing what that one tastes like.
Delve even further into Asian soda tastes, and you will find deeper reflections of the culture. Birds Nest recipes are a famously Asian preference, and are considered to be as healthy as they are delicious. They also have some rarity value – a pound of swiftlet nests might make you $4500 in Hong Kong, depending on the quality. So it’s no surprise that contemporary Asian soda companies have translated this appeal into a drink you can have on the go. In Malaysia you can pick up a can of Keko Bird’s Nest Drink; in Singapore they have Super Bird’s Nest Drink; Thailand stocks Fah Thai; and Nuoc Yen is a super-popular bird’s nest soda in Vietnam.
Look back to the States, though, and you’ll see that Asia isn’t the only place where soda companies follow their consumers. Here we have several brands of chocolate-flavored soda (Faygo Chocolate Cream Pie, Coco Fizz, and Bedre Diet Chocolate Soda being just three) and even have our own cucumber drink, Rocket Fizz, to appeal to the Asian-American community and just anybody who finds regular soda too sugary.
For a run-down of other crazy soda drinks from around the world, check out this colorful new infographic from HomeToGo. It’s an inspiring read when you’re thinking about how to tailor your big ideas to your local community!
