Portello (also known as Portino [1] and Ruby Mello [2] ) is a carbonated grape and berry flavored soft drink. Its rich, fruity flavour can be compared to port wine (which inspired the drink's name) or cola. [3] It is believed to have originated in London, England in the 18th century, before spreading to colonies of the British Empire. [4]
In Australia, portello has been manufactured since the late 19th century. Varieties are currently produced by Kirks, Billson's, Diet Rite (from Tru Blu Beverages), River Port, Woodroofe, Trend Drinks, Nippy's, Hartz, Crows Nest Soft Drink, Saxbys Soft Drinks and Wimmers Soft Drinks.
A grape flavoured soft drink named Portello was manufactured by Jubilee Ice and Soda Works in Uganda in the late 1940s. It was said to be more popular in Busoga than drinks produced by Coca-Cola and Pepsi. [5]
"Fanta Portello" is currently sold by The Coca-Cola Company in Sri Lanka.
A similar, however unrelated drink named Portello , was developed in northern Sweden in the 1920s by Malmbergets brewery.
Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils, and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imitated by other manufacturers. Most colas originally contained caffeine from the kola nut, leading to the drink's name, though other sources have since been used. The Pemberton cola drink also contained a coca plant extract. His non-alcoholic recipe was inspired by the coca wine of pharmacist Angelo Mariani, created in 1863.
Fanta is an American-owned German brand of fruit-flavored carbonated soft drinks created by Coca-Cola Deutschland under the leadership of German businessman Max Keith. There are more than 200 flavors worldwide. Fanta originated in Germany as a Coca-Cola alternative in 1940 due to the American trade embargo of Nazi Germany, which affected the availability of Coca-Cola ingredients. Fanta soon dominated the German market with three million cases sold in 1943. The current formulation of Fanta, with orange flavour, was developed in Italy in 1955.
Cream soda is a sweet soft drink. Generally flavored with vanilla and based on the taste of an ice cream float, a wide range of variations can be found worldwide.
Crush is a brand of carbonated soft drinks owned and marketed internationally by Keurig Dr Pepper, originally created as an orange soda, Orange Crush. Crush competes with Coca-Cola's Fanta. It was created in 1911 by beverage and extract chemist Neil C. Ward. Most flavors of Crush are caffeine-free.
Jones Soda Co. is a Canadian-American beverage company based in Seattle, Washington, United States. It bottles and distributes soft drinks, non-carbonated beverages, energy drinks, and candy.
Vimto is a soft drink first sold in Lancashire in England. It was first manufactured as a health tonic in cordial form, then decades later as a carbonated drink. It contains the juice of grapes, raspberries and blackcurrants, flavoured with herbs and spices. The original recipe was invented in 1908 by John Noel Nichols. Nichols was born in Blackburn, England and educated at the then Blackburn Grammar School.
Lift is a range of soft drinks produced by The Coca-Cola Company that has been available in Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Germany, Austria, Philippines and Eastern Europe since the 1970s, which is carbonated and flavored with fruit juice. In Australia and New Zealand, a standard bottle of Lift is lemon flavoured, whereas in Germany and other markets the default flavour is Apple.
Double-Cola is the name of a carbonated soft drink. It is manufactured by The Double Cola Company, headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The World of Coca-Cola is a museum located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, showcasing the history of The Coca-Cola Company. The 20-acre (81,000 m2) complex opened to the public on May 24, 2007, relocating from and replacing the original exhibit, which was founded in 1990 in Underground Atlanta. There are various similar World of Coca-Cola stores in locations such as Las Vegas and Disney Springs.
Grapette is a grape-flavored soft drink that was first produced and marketed in 1939 by Benjamin "Tyndle" Fooks. Grapette is now produced by Grapette International, and is marketed in the United States by Walmart as part of its Sam's Choice line of soft drinks.
Kirks is a soft drink manufacturer founded in Queensland, Australia in 1865, producing a selection of soft drink flavours.
Blue Sky Beverage Company was a beverage company that produced soft drinks and energy drinks. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Monster Beverage Corporation. The company was established in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1980, where it remained until it was purchased by Monster in 2000. Coca-Cola North America took ownership of Blue Sky Sodas, Hansen’s Juice Products, Hansen’s Natural Sodas, Hubert’s Lemonade, Peace Tea and other non-energy drink brands as part of Coke’s partnership with Monster Beverage Corp on Jun 12, 2015. Blue Sky Beverage Company now operates out of Corona, California. The southwestern look and feel of the artwork on the soda cans is reminiscent of the company's roots in New Mexico.
Sparletta is a range of soft drink products manufactured by The Coca-Cola Company in South Africa and Zimbabwe. It was invented by Thomas Cook and at his Standerton Coca-Cola factory in 1953. He also owned the Nigel Coca-Cola factory and the Witbank Coca-Cola factory.
Geo. Hall & Sons, more recently known as Halls, was a soft drink manufacturer founded in 1849 in Marryatville, South Australia by English immigrant George Hall (1818-1881). The plant later moved to Norwood, using water from natural springs. Its most well-known product was ginger beer, popularly known as "Stonie's". After George's death, the company continued to be owned by his descendants, until it was taken over in 1972. The Halls brand name continued until 2000.
Sprite is a clear, lemon and lime-flavored soft drink created by the Coca-Cola Company. Sprite comes in multiple flavors, including cranberry, cherry, grape, orange, tropical, ginger, and vanilla. Ice, peach, Berryclear remix, and newer versions of the drinks are artificially sweetened. Sprite was created to compete primarily against 7 Up.
Sarsaparilla is a soft drink originally made from the vine Smilax ornata or other species of Smilax such as Smilax officinalis. In most Southeast Asian countries, it is known by the common name sarsi, and the trademarks Sarsi and Sarsae. It is similar in flavour to root beer. In the US, sarsaparilla is traditionally made with birch oil rather than the tropical plant.
Big 8 Beverages is a soft drinks company based in the town of Stellarton, near New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada. Established in 1986 and owned by the Sobeys chain of supermarkets, which is also headquartered in Stellarton, the company produces fizzy soda drinks of a wide range of flavours, and also bottles spring and distilled water.