Sinalco!

"zipfuel" (zipfuel) 05/08/2020 at 17:17 • Filed to: Nostalgia You Can Taste, Sinalco, SODALOPNIK

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Dexter cares little for my nostalgia trip and only wants to know why I’m taking pictures and not feeding him.

Just paid over $10 for 3L of fizzy sugar water; nostalgia is a funny thing.

I’m guessing most people don’t know this stuff but to me it’s the taste of childhood holidays to Switzerland in the summer.

In reality I’m certain I drank a lot more Orangina on those trips, which with the actual fruit pulp in the bottom is empirically better. But Orangina is available globally so I’ve been able to get it any time I want since.

Up until recently when I got a bee under my bonnet and asked a friend to bring me a small bottle back from a trip I probably hadn’t drunk any Sinalco in 20 years.

I’m sure it’s a visual thing too, in the 90s (maybe still) Sinalco had an iron fisted grip on the Swiss cafe umbrella market; their branding was ubiquitous throughout the country, moreso even than Coca-Cola.

No idea what’s going on but look yellow umbrellas

So when I saw some in my favorite euro import market this week I obviously had to buy it, although I drew the line at a $30 six pack.

In truth it tastes like a less synthetic version of Fanta - it’s good but not terribly special. Kofola (communist cola) is a far more interesting flavor - plus hella caffeinated.

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Its available in Germany too but that appears be a separate company to the original Swiss operation and way more ambitious: they have a tonne more varieties and flavors.

Update: from my googling for images it looks like Sinalco is big in points east and beyond: Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Jordan and just launched a campaign in Tajikistan...

I actually looked at their franchise options but A. I don’t own a bottling plant and B. I feel like the North American soda market i s probably a knife fight wrapped in a gun fight.

Any other fans of this stuff out there? What’s your b ack in the day beverage of choice?

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > zipfuel 05/08/2020 at 17:34

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For me it’s Squirt, a soda I had as a kid when I lived in Costa Rica in the early 70s. I saw it at the supermarket not too long ago and (after the requisite flashback) picked up a 2L bottle. Yep, that stuff hasn’t changed in 45 years..

TheRealBicycleBuck > zipfuel 05/08/2020 at 17:43

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I’ve always been a Coca- Cola fan. I don’t mind a good Barq’s Root Beer and I quite enjoy the occasional RC and Dr. Pepper. But I always come back around to Coke.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > zipfuel 05/08/2020 at 17:51

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Polar Orange dry. Most people buy it as a mixer but it’s good on its own. It’s like Orangina i n that it’s a less-artificial orange soda.

ranwhenparked > zipfuel 05/08/2020 at 18:18

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I’ve always like A-Treat’s grapefruit soda, and their cream flavor, but that’s hard to find outside their immediate area. Otherwise, Dr. Pepper

fintail > zipfuel 05/08/2020 at 18:20

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On the same German-speaking world theme:

zipfuel > fintail 05/08/2020 at 19:25

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I haven’t tried the German c ola Limonade/orange combo but have heard it’s a thing. I have a pack of these in my kitchen from the same store...

fhrblig > zipfuel 05/08/2020 at 19:48

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I miss this stuff. I haven’t seen it in years. It's g rapefruit and lime soda.

Jb boin > zipfuel 05/08/2020 at 20:11

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I live at 1h30 of Geneva but i never heard of Sinalco.

Actually bought a bottle of Orangina last week, still a good match with r um.

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On the “local” soda that i like (but is not the easiest to find nowadays ) : Ricqlè s.

Its a mint soda with no funky ingredients : water, sugar and natural extracts of mint .

Tapas > zipfuel 05/08/2020 at 20:32

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I learned so many soda things today!

zipfuel > fhrblig 05/08/2020 at 21:45

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I am down for anything with grapefruit in it. I also love this stuff: technically a vodka mixer but tastes like subtle grapefruit rind.

fintail > zipfuel 05/08/2020 at 22:34

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Yeah, spezi is a big thing.  Mezzo Mix gives me many fond memories, I’ve ordered it from online delis too.

Haribo macht Kinder froh, one of those jingles that never goes away.