Orangina

Orangina was developed in 1933, as Naranjina, by Spanish chemist Agustín Trigo, from Valencia.[6] It was presented at the 1936 Marseille Trade Fair. The drink was created from a mix of citrus juice, sugar, and carbonated water.[7] It was later called TriNaranjus (now, TriNa) for the Spanish market.

French businessman Léon Beton bought the concept and recipe for Naranjina in 1935.[7] However, the outbreak of major conflicts, notably World War II, largely sidelined Beton's attempts to market his drink in Europe.[8]

His son, Jean-Claude Beton, took over the company from his father in 1947.[7][8] Jean-Claude Beton kept most of the original recipe, which he marketed to appeal to European and North African consumers.[7] Orangina quickly became a common beverage throughout North Africa.[8] In 1951, Jean-Claude Beton introduced Orangina's signature 8-ounce bottle, which became a symbol of the brand.[7] The bottle recalls the rounded shape of an orange, with a glass texture designed to mimic the fruit.[7]

Production was moved to Marseille in metropolitan France in 1962 in the run-up to Algeria's independence.[7] The company joined the Pernod Ricard group in 1984.

In 2000, after an attempt to sell to Coca-Cola was blocked on anti competitive grounds, the Orangina brand was acquired by Cadbury Schweppes along with Pernod Ricard's other soda businesses.[9] In 2006, Cadbury decided to concentrate on the chocolate business and sought buyers for its soda business. As the number three soda producer globally, neither of the bigger two (Coca-Cola or PepsiCo) could buy it, so eventually the soda company was split up to sell.

Rest of the world

Blood Orangina bottle

From 2006, private equity firms Blackstone Group and Lion Capital LLP owned the brand outside North America under the company name Orangina Schweppes.[12] In November 2009, its ownership changed once again when it was bought by Japanese brewer Suntory.[4] In Great Britain, it was formerly manufactured under licence by A.G. Barr of Glasgow, most famous for Irn-Bru, this has recently been taken in house by Suntory subsidiary Lucozade Ribena Suntory[13]

Orangina is produced in Vietnam by Fosters Vietnam under licence and is sold in Carrefour branches in Taiwan. It is produced in Iran by Shemshad Noosh Co.

Classic glass bottle

The brand is famous for the design of its 25 cl (8 oz) bottle made in the shape of a pear with a pebbly texture meant to recall the peel of an orange or other citrus fruit. Larger bottles also include the pebbly texture but use a more regular bottle shape rather than maintaining the proportions of the smaller bottles.

New flavours have emerged in Europe including Orangina Sanguine which is made from blood oranges and also contains caffeine and guarana. It is significantly more sour than regular Orangina. Other flavours such as the series called "les givrés" (which can be translated as both "frosted" and "crazy") are also available in Europe, but rarely seen in North America. The sugar free variant "Miss O" was launched in the 2010s.

In Tunisia, multiple flavors of Orangina are sold as Orangina Rouge, similar to the European Orangina Sanguine, and Orangina Light as a sugar free variant.

Original print advertisement

The pulp at the bottom of the bottles was a big flaw compared to its competitors. It therefore took an original marketing positioning, which transformed this defect into a quality, with the "Shake me" advertisements.[17]

In 2010, a gay-friendly Orangina commercial was released in France, a few weeks after a McDonald's advertisement featuring a gay teenager was shown on French television.[18]

• Orange drink

• International website (English/French)
• A history of Orangina (French)