Irn-bru (pronounced
iron brew, ) is a popular
carbonatedCarbonation occurs when carbon dioxide is dissolved in water or an aqueous solution. This process yields the "fizz" to carbonated water, sparkling mineral water, and soft drinks; the head to beer; and the cork pop and bubbles to champagne and sparkling wine.-Effervescence:Effervescence is the...
soft drinkA soft drink is a drink that does not contain alcohol . Soft drinks are often carbonated and commonly consumed while cold. The most common soft drinks are colas, flavored water, sparkling water, iced tea, sweet tea, lemonade, squash and fruit punch....
produced in
CumbernauldCumbernauld is a new town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It was created in 1956 as a population overspill for Glasgow City. It is the eighth most populous settlement in Scotland and the largest in North Lanarkshire...
,
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where it has been made by
A.G. BarrA.G. Barr plc is a Scottish soft drinks manufacturer, based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is particularly notable for the manufacture of the popular Scottish drink, Irn-Bru. A.G. Barr is the largest manufacturer of soft drinks in the United Kingdom...
of
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
since moving out of their original Denniston factory in the mid 90s and at a second manufacturing site in
MansfieldMansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the county, lying on the River Maun, from which the name of the town is derived. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In addition to being sold throughout the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, Barr's Irn-Bru is also available in many key markets throughout the world and can usually be purchased where there is a significant community of people from its native Scotland. Innovative and sometimes controversial marketing campaigns have consistently kept it as one of the best-selling soft drinks in Scotland where it competes directly with massive global brands such as
Coca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines internationally. The Coca-Cola Company claims that the beverage is sold in more than 200 countries...
and
PepsiPepsi is a carbonated soft drink produced and manufactured by PepsiCo. It is sold in many places such as retail stores, restaurants, schools, cinemas and from vending machines. The drink was first made in the 1890s by pharmacist Caleb Bradham in New Bern, North Carolina. The brand was trademarked...
.
Overview
Irn-Bru is famous for its bright orange colour (something it shares with the glucose drink
LucozadeLucozade is an umbrella name for a series of energy and sports drinks. The original Lucozade, now called Lucozade Energy, is an energy drink containing glucose syrup and is produced by GlaxoSmithKline plc in Gloucestershire...
). As of 1999 it contained 0.002% of
ammonium ferric citrateAmmonium ferric citrate is a food additive with E number E381 used as an acidity regulator . It is a green or reddish-brown powder which is very soluble in water.Other uses for ammonium ferric citrate include water purification and printing...
,
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline substances, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Human taste buds interpret its flavor as sweet. Sugar as a basic food carbohydrate primarily comes from sugar cane and from sugar beet, but also appears in fruit, honey, sorghum, sugar maple , and in many...
, 32 flavouring agents (including
caffeineCaffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that is a psychoactive stimulant drug. Caffeine was discovered by a German chemist, Friedrich Ferdinand Runge, in 1819. He coined the term kaffein, a chemical compound in coffee, which in English became caffeine...
—though caffeine is not listed as an ingredient on the Australian labelling—and
quinineQuinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic , antimalarial, analgesic , and anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine....
) and two controversial colourings (
E110Sunset Yellow FCF is a colourant that may be added to foods to induce a colour change. It is denoted by E Number E110, and has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction....
,
E124Ponceau 4R , SX purple) is a synthetic colourant that may be added to foods to induce a colour change. It is denoted by E Number E124, and has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction...
). It is advertised as having a slight
citrusCitrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the family Rutaceae, originating in tropical and subtropical southeast regions of the world. The most well known examples are the orange, the lemon, the grapefruit, and the lime. The Latin word citrus was borrowed from ancient Greek kedros...
flavour, but many have differing opinions of the exact taste of Irn-Bru.
Irn-Bru was first produced in 1901, in the town of
FalkirkFalkirk Falkirk Falkirk is a town in central Scotland lying to the north west and north east of the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, respectively. According to a 2007...
, under the name Strachan's brew. In 1946, a change in laws required that the word "brew" be removed from the name, as the drink is not technically brewed. The chairman of the company came up with the idea of changing both halves of the name to a phonetic spelling, giving the current Irn-Bru brand. 1980 saw the introduction of Low Calorie Irn-Bru; this was re-launched in 1991 as
DietDiet sodas are typically sugar-free, artificially sweetened, non-alcoholic carbonated beverages generally marketed towards health-conscious people, diabetics, athletes, and other people who want to lose weight or stay fit.-Sweetening:Different...
Irn-Bru and the Irn-Bru 32
energy drinkEnergy drinks are soft drinks advertised as providing energy to improve physical activity of the drinker, as compared to a typical drink. Rather than providing food energy , these drinks are designed to increase a user's mental alertness and physical performance by the addition of caffeine,...
variant was launched in 2006.
It has long been the most popular soft drink in Scotland, outselling
Coca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines internationally. The Coca-Cola Company claims that the beverage is sold in more than 200 countries...
, but recent fierce competition between the two brands has brought their sales to roughly equal levels. It is also the third best selling soft drink in the UK, after Coca-Cola and Pepsi, outselling high-profile brands such as
FantaFanta is a global brand of fruit-flavored fizzy juice soft drinks from the Coca-Cola Company. There are over 90 flavors worldwide, but most of them are only available in certain countries.-History:...
,
Dr PepperDr Pepper is a soft drink marketed as having a unique flavor. Created in the 1880s by Charles Alderton of Waco, Texas, and first served around 1885, Dr Pepper was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904 and is now also sold in Europe, Asia and South America...
,
SpriteSprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored, caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Lithiated Lemon" in 1929. It comes in a primarily silver, green, and...
and 7-Up. This success in defending its home market (a feat claimed only by Irn-Bru,
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
's
Guaraná AntarcticaGuaraná Antarctica is the most popular guaraná-flavored soft drink in Brazil, created in 1921 by Pedro Baptista de Andrade for Companhia Antarctica Paulista, now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The drink is also available in Portugal, Spain, Honduras, Denmark, Switzerland, parts of the United Kingdom...
, Ireland's
Club OrangeClub Orange is a popular Irish carbonated soft drink produced in Ireland by Britvic Ireland and previously by Cantrell & Cochrane and bottled at their plant in Dublin....
,
South AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories....
's Farmers Union Iced Coffee,
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
's
Inca KolaInca Kola is a Peruvian soft drink with a sweet fruity flavor sometimes compared to bubblegum. The maker is 60% owned by The Coca-Cola Company. Inca Kola is exported to parts of South America, and while it has not enjoyed major success elsewhere, it can be found in Latin American specialty...
,
MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
's
KinnieKinnie is a soft drink that originates from the Mediterranean island of Malta. It was first developed in 1952 by Simonds Farsons Cisk.Kinnie has a bitter sweet flavour. Kinnie looks and tastes like an Italian style alcoholic aperitif but is less bitter than a Sanbitter or Italian chinottos...
and
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
's
JulmustJulmust is a soft drink that is consumed mainly in Sweden and Norway around Christmas. During the rest of the year it is usually hard to find in stores, but sometimes it is sold at other times of the year under the name must . At Easter the name is påskmust ...
) has led to ongoing speculation that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Inc. or its UK brand franchisee
BritvicBritvic plc is a British producer of soft drinks. They are the number two soft drinks producer in the UK. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index...
would attempt to buy A.G. Barr.
Irn-Bru's advertising slogans used to be "Scotland's other National Drink", referring to
whiskyWhisky or whiskey is a type of alcoholic beverage distilled from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and maize...
, and "Bru'd in Scotland from girders", though the closest one can come to substantiating this claim is the 0.002%
ammonium ferric citrateAmmonium ferric citrate is a food additive with E number E381 used as an acidity regulator . It is a green or reddish-brown powder which is very soluble in water.Other uses for ammonium ferric citrate include water purification and printing...
listed in the ingredients.
The ingredients in Irn-Bru are a closely guarded secret, and the recipe is known only to Robin Barr, the Chairman, and one unnamed person (who are not allowed to travel on the same plane together). A copy of the recipe is kept in a bank vault in Scotland. Robin Barr himself mixes the essences of the drink in a sealed room at their headquarters in
CumbernauldCumbernauld is a new town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It was created in 1956 as a population overspill for Glasgow City. It is the eighth most populous settlement in Scotland and the largest in North Lanarkshire...
once a month. Once Robin Barr steps down as Chairman, he will continue to be the company mixer, but will eventually pass on the recipe to his daughter (and company secretary) Julie.
Packaging
Irn-Bru and other Barr brands including Pineappleade,
Cream SodaCream soda is a sweet carbonated soft drink. It varies from country to country, but its most usual property is its vanilla flavoring. Its name originated, at least in the United Kingdom, from "ice cream soda" as it was traditionally served with a dollop of ice cream floating in it.-International...
,
TizerTizer is a red soft drink from the United Kingdom with a very sweet and slightly fruity taste. The name originally comes from the phrase 'Tizer the Appetizer'. It was launched in 1924 by Fred Pickup of Manchester when it was known as 'Pickup's Appetizer'. After the death of Pickup it was owned by...
,
Red KolaRed Kola is a carbonated soft drink made from fruit extracts, and may include flavouring from the kola nut. The main manufacturer and supplier is Barr's, the other being Currie's ....
,
Barr ColaBarr Cola, is a cola in the UK, made from kola nuts.It is manufactured by the A.G. Barr plc company, makers of Irn-Bru, and, like Irn-Bru, is most popular in Scotland...
, and
LimeadeLimeade is a beverage similar to lemonade, but is made with lime juice or lime flavor instead of those of the lemon. A.G. Barr plc, of Glasgow produce a limeade which is somewhat popular in Scotland, and Newman's Own introduced its own brand of limeade in 2004...
are still available in 750 ml reusable glass bottles. The empty bottles can be returned to the manufacturer via any retailer which sells them, and can usually be exchanged for the deposit (30 pence deposit). In areas of Scotland these are known as "Gless Cheques", "Gingies", "hectors", "jiggy bottles", "jangl'rs", "Rammies", or "Glaise Boattles".
Irn-Bru and Diet Irn-Bru are available in the following sizes:
- 150 ml can
- 250 ml plastic bottle
- 330 ml can
- 500 ml plastic bottle
- 600 ml plastic bottle (Russia)
- 1 l plastic bottle
- 1.25 l bottle (Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Scotland)
- 2 l plastic bottle
- 3 l plastic bottle
- 355 ml glass bottle (in Canada)
- 750 ml glass bottle
- 5 litre Syrup containers.
- In May 2007, Irn-Bru underwent a re-design of its bottles and cans.
Advertising Campaigns
An early (and long running) advertising campaign was "The Adventures of Ba-Bru and Sandy" comic. A neon sign featuring Ba-Bru stood outside Glasgow Central railway station for many years, and was only removed in the late 1980s.
Barr has a long-established
gimmickIn marketing language, a gimmick is a quirky feature that distinguishes a product or service without adding any obvious function or value. Thus, a gimmick sells solely on the basis of distinctiveness and may not appeal to the more savvy or shrewd customer....
associating Irn Bru with Scottishness, stemming from the claim of it being Scotland's most popular soft drink. A tagline, "Made in Scotland from girders", was used for several years from the 1980s, usually featuring Irn-Bru drinkers becoming unusually strong, durable, or magnetic.
An advertising campaign launched in 2000 featured eccentric characters and situations. One involved a grandfather (played by actor Robert Wilson) who removed his false teeth to spoil his grandson's interest in his can of Irn-Bru. A further TV advertisement featured a senior citizen in a motorised wheelchair robbing a local shopping market of a supply of Irn-Bru. Further advertising campaigns for Irn-Bru appeared in conjuction with the release of Irn-Bru 32 in 2006. This campaign consisted of a parodic commercial of a popular Christmas Cartoon, The Snowman, and was extremely effective in interesting American audiences in the Irn-Bru brand.
The most recent advertisement for the product features a group of high school students performing a musical number, with the refrain "It's fizzy, It's ginger, It's phenomenal!". It is suggested to be a parody of musicals such as
High School MusicalHigh School Musical is an Emmy Award-winning American television film, and the first in the High School Musical film franchise. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful movie that Disney Channel Original Movie ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2...
.
Controversy
One of the most controversial Iru-Bru television adverts evoked 1950s entertainment. A mother plays the
pianoThe piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, while the father and two children deliver a song which ends with the mother singing: "...even though I used to be a man." This advertisement originally aired in 2000, but when it was re-aired in 2003, it received seventeen complaints from people who claimed it was offensive to transsexuals. Issue A14 of the
OfcomThe Office of Communications or, as it is more often known, Ofcom, is the independent regulator and competition authority for the communication industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established in the enabling device, the , but received its full authority from the Communications...
Advertising Complaints bulletin reports that the children's response to their mother's claim was not in fact offensive. The advertisement was meant to be a joke about changing points of view over time. However, the scene involving the mother shaving at the end of the advertisement was deemed to be potentially offensive to transsexuals, and so it was taken off the air.
In 2003, an Irn-Bru commercial which showed a midwife trying to entice a baby from its mother's womb during a difficult delivery sparked complaints from fifty viewers. Many saw it as upsetting to women who had suffered miscarriages.
One billboard featured a young woman in a
bikiniA bikini or two piece is a women's swimsuit with two parts, one covering the breasts, the other the groin , leaving an uncovered area between the two . It is often worn in hot weather or while swimming...
along with the slogan, "I never knew four-and-a-half inches could give so much pleasure". Another featured a picture of a cow with the slogan "When I'm a burger, I want to be washed down with Irn-Bru". This billboard received over 700 complaints but was cleared by advertisement watchdogs. A billboard which featured a depressed goth and the slogan "Cheer up Goth. Have an Irn Bru." was also criticised for inciting bullying.
Brand portfolio
| Name | Launched |
|---|
| Irn Bru 32 |
2006 |
| Diet Irn Bru |
1991 |
| Irn Bru |
1901 |
Cultural influence
Irn-Bru is widely reputed to be an excellent cure for
hangoverA hangover describes the sum of unpleasant physiological effects following heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages. The most commonly reported characteristics of a hangover include headache, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, lethargy, dysphoria, diarrhea and thirst...
s. This claim has some foundation in truth—all caffeinated drinks will soothe headaches to an extent, and sugary drinks will replace lost fluids and sugars.
Detective Inspector John RebusDetective Inspector John Rebus is the protagonist in the Inspector Rebus series of detective novels by the Scottish writer Ian Rankin, 10 of which have so far been televised as Rebus...
, the main character in
Ian RankinIan Rankin OBE, DL, is a Scottish crime writer. His best known books are the Inspector Rebus novels...
's Rebus series, is often described buying an Irn-Bru for its hangover benefits after one of his all-too-frequent binges.
Irn Bru & Others
It is often used as a mixer with
alcoholic beverageAn alcoholic beverage is a drink that contains ethanol . Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits....
s—mainly vodka/vodkat and
whiskyWhisky or whiskey is a type of alcoholic beverage distilled from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and maize...
. Indeed, the popular
ScottishScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
alcopopAlcopop is a term describing certain flavored alcoholic beverages, including:#malt beverages to which various fruit juices or other flavorings have been added,...
WKDWKD Original Vodka is a brand of alcopop produced by Beverage Brands. It is sold and heavily marketed in the United Kingdom with the slogan ‘Have you got a WKD side?’ . AC Nielsen ranked it as the number-one UK ready-to-drink brand in 2006.-Product information:All varieties contain 5% ABV. This was...
was originally launched as an alcoholic equivalent of Irn-Bru. Barr retaliated by launching a drink combining Irn-Bru and Bell's whisky, though this proved to be unpopular and was quickly discontinued. A later attempt came in the form of an official Irn-Bru flavour in the Red Square line-up of vodka-based drinks; this too has been discontinued. There is now an official Irn-Bru WKD flavour.
Restaurants
When
McDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily. At one time it was the largest global restaurant chain, but it has since been surpassed by multi-brand operator Yum! and sandwich chain Subway.In addition to its...
restaurants first opened for trading in
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
they did not serve Irn-Bru. This was seen as an insult by some Scots, and a campaign to correct this oversight was launched. After many of their restaurants were picketed, McDonald's relented and began to stock Irn-Bru alongside their other soft drinks.
Popular Countries
There is an
urban legendAn urban legend, urban myth, or urban tale, more properly a "'contemporary legend'" is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them...
, often heard in Scotland when discussing the drink, that states variously that Irn-Bru is more popular in Russia than it is in Scotland, or that it is more popular than
Coca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines internationally. The Coca-Cola Company claims that the beverage is sold in more than 200 countries...
in Russia. Barr's first venture in Russia, with a Russian company backed by
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
venture capitalists, failed in August 2001. A second attempt at cracking the Russian market began in June 2002, backed by the
PepsiPepsi is a carbonated soft drink produced and manufactured by PepsiCo. It is sold in many places such as retail stores, restaurants, schools, cinemas and from vending machines. The drink was first made in the 1890s by pharmacist Caleb Bradham in New Bern, North Carolina. The brand was trademarked...
Bottling Group of Russia. Robin Barr, AG Barr chairman, said of the legend "Maybe I could sit here and hope that it [was more popular than Coke], but Coke was introduced into the Russian marketplace shortly after 1990, so they've been in business for some 12 years now, whereas we only started franchising Irn-Bru in Russia towards the end of 1998."
Museums
In the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh there are a range of exhibits, selected by celebrities -
Sean ConnerySir Thomas Sean Connery , best known as Sean Connery, is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award winning Scottish actor and producer....
chose a crate of Irn Bru.
Bands & Irn Bru
Scottish rock band The Fratellis featured a play on Irn Bru's logo as one of their T shirt designs in their 2008 tour. The band also brought Irn Bru with them to drink during their performances.
Exports and foreign markets
Irn-Bru is currently manufactured in five factories in
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and is also manufactured under licence in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
,
AmericaThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and since May 2008 in
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
. Bru and various other Barr products are exported to
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
, The Netherlands,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
,
GibraltarGibraltar is a self-governing British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe at the entrance of the Mediterranean overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory covers and shares a land border with Spain to the north...
,
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
, and
CyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....
, as well as parts of
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
and
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
. It is available sporadically in
IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
,
MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
,
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
and, as of 2005, in
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Australia
In
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, IRN-BRU is manufactured and distributed under licence by Occasio Australia Pty Ltd. It is available in 500mL and 1.25L varieties in both regular and diet. The drink is enjoying growing success in the country, with its first advertising campaign launched in Queensland in September 2007. It is available in major chains Woolworths,
ColesColes Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers . It has over 740 stores nationally and more than 92,000 employees...
,
CaltexCaltex is a petroleum brand name of Chevron Corporation used in more than 60 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and southern Africa.-History:...
service stations and in many independent grocers and convenience stores. It is, however, no longer stocked at Coles supermarkets and many convenience stores that once stocked it report that supply suddenly stopped without reason.
Canada
Irn-Bru sold in Canada contains no caffeine, as until recently only dark coloured drinks were permitted to contain caffeine. As a result of this and the omission of quinine the taste is noticeably different, and the restorative effect is almost nil. It is also produced under licence, without caffeine, in Australia.
The now-defunct McKinley/McInlay soft-drink company in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada for many years offered its own non-licensed beverage called "Iron Brew". It was a brown carbonated soft-drink with a fruity cola taste. After the company stopped operations ca. 1990, PepsiCo continued to sell the drink locally as "Cape Breton's Irn Bru". The packaging consisted of plainly labelled plastic bottles (black text on a featureless white label) and a disclaimer "Not a source of Iron". As of 2006 this product seems to be very difficult to find, even locally, and may have been phased out.
The standard Irn Bru distributed in Canada also contains the "Not a source of iron" disclaimer on the label.
Finland
Sunset Yellow FCFSunset Yellow FCF is a colourant that may be added to foods to induce a colour change. It is denoted by E Number E110, and has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction....
is banned in
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
, although Irn-Bru can still be purchased in certain Finnish shops specialising in imported goods.
Greece
Greek versions of the popular drink are almost exactly the same as the UK products. The only slight difference being the can labelling which meets Greek and EU requirements.
Middle East
A.G. Barr has launched its Irn-Bru product throughout the
Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe, and northeastern Africa. It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. The Jeffrey International Group have been appointed as the distribution and marketing partner. The Middle Eastern market is a huge potential market for soft drinks due to widespread
ProhibitionProhibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is a sumptuary law which prohibits alcohol. Typically, the manufacture, transportation, import, export, and sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted or illegal. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries...
and it is hoped that Irn-Bru will be an immediate success in this market. The Irn-Bru is being bottled locally. A unique home delivery service is also available in the UAE through Earlybird, a company specialising in home delivery of soft drinks in the region. IRN-BRU is now available in all retail outlets in the UAE.
SpinneysSpinneys is the leading premium supermarket chain in the Middle EastThe largest shareholder and manager of the Brand is the Dubai based private equity firm Abraaj Capital.Spinneys was formed in 1924 by Arthur Rawdon Spinneys, in Alexandria, Egypt....
, Lulu and Co Operatives all stock the product.
New Zealand
In New Zealand Irn-Bru can be found in UK import shops. It now also available in some supermarkets. New World in Albany Mall being one of them.
Pakistan
In Pakistan Irn-Bru can be found in many import and local shops and supermarkets and various western import shops. It seems that after the increasing popularity of Irn-Bru there is a greater demand for it in many Pakistani cities.
Portugal
In Portugal Irn-Bru can be found in both local supermarkets and various British Import shops. It seems that after the increasing popularity of Irn-Bru in these British stores the local supermarkets, such as Ali Super and various others, have attempted to capitalise on the success.
Spain
The product has been licensed to be made in
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
, where the colour of the can is brighter.
USA
Irn-Bru and Diet Irn-Bru have been specially formulated since 2002 by A.G. Barr plc to meet the required regulations for permissible food colouring imposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ponceau 4R used in the UK formulation is prohibited by FDA. Barr's uses alternative food & drink colourants manufactured by a US Company approved by the FDA. The flavour is not identical to that produced in Barr's home market. The product labelling also meets US labelling standards on nutritional information and bar code etc.. Compliant Irn-Bru is solely imported by Great Scot International, Charlotte NC who supplies distributors and retailers throughout the US. Great Scot also sells the product directly from its website. It is only supplied in 16.9 fl.oz.
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