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In the mountains of Peru, there is a soda: Inca kola. It is no exaggeration to say that the bright yellow soft drink is the country’s cultural icon. After all, it still outpaced the country’s Coca-Cola, one of the few regional sodas to beat the soft drink behemoth to dominate the increasingly globalized market. Although it is actually everywhere in Peru and other Andean peoples, Inca Kola is not mainstream outside South America. However, it works in both professional and large box grocery stores (you just need to be willing to watch) and Amazon. For those who wish to explore Peruvian culture, or anyone who is just interested in becoming a proficient in soda, this drink is considered essential. Aside from its bright tones and appeal to deep Peruvian cultural roots, perhaps the attraction of Inca Kola is its unique flavor.
Most people who own Inca Kola describe their flavor as similar to bubble gum (a mystery in itself) or the same mysterious cream soda, although many fans of the drink will object to these descriptors. It does have a fruity flavor and has a slightly floral element that escapes simple flavor names. So, what makes Inca kola unique flavor? Well, the exact statement of flavoring has not been made by the company. Its main seasoning is lemon horseshoe, a plant in South America occupied by Peru.
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Soda, plants and their common roots
Inca kola bottle in front of Machu Picchu – inspired by map/shutterstock
The lemon circus has nothing to do with lemons, nor is it a citrus. Instead, it has a sweet flowery flavor that can surround it with just a little lemon. Chef José Andrés loves adding lemon horseshoe to his gin and tonic, which is a great choice for considering its complex flavor. This is the main seasoning disclosed by Inca kola. However, the exact recipe for the drink has not been revealed, so we may never know the exact makeup that makes Inca Kola unique. What we know is that this drink is a product of Peruvian national pride, and its formulated use of native plants will certainly increase its status as a national treasure. In fact, its origins stem from Peru’s identity.
Inca Kola was invented by a man named Joseph Robinson Lindley. Lindley, originally from England, owns a beverage company in Peru. In 1935, Lindley developed Inca Kola as part of a project aimed at creating a drink that appeals to Peruvians. To make it culturally more influential, the soda actually coincides with the 400th birthday of Lima City. Soda is named after the British-Dan Empire, a civilization that predated Spanish colonization but still influenced Peruvian culture.
Gold, sweet national treasure
A cup of Inca kola with large Inca kola bottles in the restaurant – Beto Santillan/Shutterstock
Since the initial introduction 90 years ago, Inca Kola has not only experienced it, it has flourished. In fact, many Peruvians consider Inca Cora a symbol of the country’s wealthy heritage. Soda even sold Peruvian Coca-Cola, which was so firmly believed that the soft drink Mammoth competed with Inca Kola in the Peruvian market in 1999, but instead bought a part of the company without changing its formula. Yes, for many Peruvians, Inca kola is a place to be proud of, and that’s not wrong. Instead, this is the result of strategic marketing for many years on behalf of soft drink companies.
From the outset, the drink has been associated with Peru’s history and culture as its name is a historical reference and was published to align with the anniversary of Lima. But Inca Kola’s connection to the country’s identity has not ended. Inka Cola has used advertisements citing Peruvian identity and Inca heritage over the past few decades, often featuring female figures in traditional Inca outfits. The slogan of the product openly promotes this national identity. Its first slogan is called Inca Kola, called “La Bebida del Sabor Nacional”, or in English as “ethnic flavored beverages”. Recently, the drink has adopted the slogan “El Sabor delPerú” of “Peruvian flavor”. This slogan has become a reality in the decades since its release.
Read the original article about Chowhound.
