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Thursday Sep 3
Purple Patch for Vimto
VIMTO is enjoying an international sales surge this month as Muslims celebrate Ramadan, and the firm which owns the brand is eyeing Iraq as a potential future market.
During Ramadan - the ninth month of the Muslim calendar - observers refrain from eating between dawn and sunset.
Families then gather together after dark to break their fast with an evening meal called Iftar, which is traditionally preceded by a snack of dates and Vimto, made by Newton-le- Willows firm Nichols.
The fruity drink with a secret recipe - developed in Manchester as a health tonic - enjoys a 90 per cent share of the Middle East's cordial drinks market during Ramadan, selling 20m bottles.
Nichols chief executive Brendan Hynes said: "The sales uplift around Ramadan is significant and it is more pronounced in the Middle East.
"People drink it when the family gets together and it is like a homecoming symbol. After a day's fasting you want to get some goodness before a bigger meal. It satisfies that need and gives you a boost."
Vimto - which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year - has long been a family favourite in Muslim countries, where it is believed to have restorative properties and boost energy.
Middle Eastern customers drink a different version of the north west favourite, which has double the fruit content.
Mr Hynes said: "We don't directly service Iraq at present but it is potentially a large market for us once things settle down. It has the same characteristics as countries where we have had great success."
In the UK, Vimto is produced by Cott Beverages in both Derbyshire and Yorkshire on behalf of Vimto Soft Drinks, a division of Nichols.
The concentrate is exported to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, where it is bottled and distributed.
Nichols posted revenues of £56.2m for 2008 and sales are expected to reach £66.9m this year.
Source: Manchester Evening News - 2nd September 2009
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