Ribena

History

Ribena was originally manufactured by the Bristol-based food and drink company Carters as a blackcurrant cordial. The drink was launched in the 1930s and it was given the name Ribena, from the botanical name for the blackcurrant, Ribes nigrum in 1938. Blackcurrants are a rich source of Vitamin C. During World War II other fruits rich in vitamin C, like oranges, became almost impossible to obtain in the United Kingdom. Blackcurrant cultivation was encouraged by the Government and the yield of the nation's crop increased significantly.

From 1942 almost the entire British blackcurrant crop was made into blackcurrant syrup (or cordial), almost all of it manufactured by Carters, and distributed to the nation's children for free, giving rise to the lasting popularity of blackcurrant flavourings in Britain. Carters were bought out by the Beecham company (later to become GlaxoSmithKline) in the 1950s. For a short period in the late 1990s a carbonated version, sold in cans, was trialled in the UK, but did not prove successful. The mid-1990's vampire TV show Forever Knight used undiluted Ribena as prop blood, as it seemed to be of similar consistency.

Ribena Today

Ribena is now sold as a cordial and also pre-diluted and marketed in a large variety of flavours including Strawberry, Blackcurrant & Cranberry, Orange and Apple. The original Blackcurrant flavour comes in Original and Really Light (low calorie) varieties.

Ribena can be mixed with the alcoholic, anise flavoured drink, Pernod. Water & ice are then added to produce the cocktail named the 'King of Denmark'. It is also a key ingredient in the "snakebite and black" version of the lager/cider mixture called snakebite(although this is usually made with much cheaper blackcurrant cordials).

It is claimed in advertisements for Ribena (as well as on their cartons and bottles, and on their web-site) that 95% of all UK and Irish farmed blackcurrants are used in their drinks.

This has now been changed to "nearly all of British blackcurrants are used in Ribena".

In May 2006, Ribena Blueberry was introduced to the UK market.

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