Trendsetting soda inspiring by parsis in India

In India Parsis from Persia  were instrumental for popularising and producing carbonated beverages in India two centuries ago, which is now a £7bn industry.

 

A bottle of Pallonji’s Raspberry soda come with a disclaimer “Contains no fruit”Electric red in colour syrupy drink sold in the Irani cafes in Western city of Bombay.

Soda had become a popular beverage in London by the early 1800s. Schweppes sold plain carbonated water advertising as a health elixir, with flavours of lemon, orange and raspberry.

Parsis discovered niche in the market a commercial opportunity in the new fizzy drinks consumed by their colonial masters and catered to the British army, owners of hotels and Europe shops in cities.

 

In Nizamabad, Hyderabad, India’s southern city, the Marolia family employed bicycle distribution, Rohinton Marolia, who worked in the family firm during school holidays in 1960s, for morning distribution runs.

Since glass bottles cost far more than the drink contents poured inside Marolia family used special round bottm bottle difficult to set down on flat surfaces and encouraged  customers to quickly return the bottles for reuse.