Vimto is a very popular drink that people consume a lot in the Gulf Region especially during the season of Ramadan.
The Vimto recipe is a secret mix of three natural fruits - grape, blackcurrant and raspberry - along with a blend of 23 fruit essences, herbs and spices.
And Vimto drink does not contain any alcohol and is classed as gluten-free.
Vimto beverage products do not contain any animal products and as such are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
==Are there sweeteners in Vimto?==
Vimto cordial and Vimto Juice Drink use only sucrose, while Vimto Carbonated Light uses approved sweeteners.
All ingredients used in the production of Vimto are clearly marked on the packaging, and approved by the regulatory authorities for use in soft drinks.
==Why is Vimto Cordial so popular during Ramadan?==
Vimto cordial was first introduced to the Middle East in the 1920s and, right from the beginning, was associated with providing an energy boost while retaining a delicious and refreshing taste.
These qualities made it a perfect drink for soothing the body after a day of fasting and, consequently, Vimto has been synonymous with Ramadan ever since.
It has become part of Arab heritage and Ramadan tradition.
==Is the Vimto sold in the Middle East different from the UK version?==
The exact Vimto recipe has remained a closely guarded secret for more than 100 years which is standard across the world.
The concentration of Vimto cordial that is available in the Middle East differs from the one in UK.
Vimto Cordial complements the Iftar (the evening meal when Muslim's break their fast) table, and each family or mother will have their own secret recipe on how to prepare and serve Vimto.
In fact, it is this preparation experience that makes the Vimto Cordial drink so unique at the Iftar table as opposed to any other ready to drink beverage.
==History of Vimto==
In 1908, the late Mr. John Nichols has first invented the drink through adding certain amounts of the berries and herbs with distinctive and refreshing flavour.
Mr. Nichols started selling and producing the new product in the city of Manchester in the United Kingdom, and then spread the product with the expansion of trade and sailors from China to India and the Arabian Gulf and Africa.
And in 1927 the first generation of traders in Aujan family started bringing Vimto to the Gulf region for the first time and the product entered the markets of Bahrain, Kuwait, Ahsa, Al-Zubair, Basra and the coast of Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi markets, Dubai and Sharjah until Muscat and Salalah.
And the generations of Aujan and Nichols continued distributing the tastey drink to the markets of the Gulf until 1978 where the product started to be produced in the city of Dammam factory which was one of the first beverage production plants in the region.
In 1982 Aujan started announcing Vimto drink in Ramadan until it became the first drink in the Middle East at the Iftar table.
The success story of the product does not end Vimto Cordial only where the partnership of Aujan and Nichols succeeded creating numerous varieties of Vimto that are suitable for many occasions throughout the year.
==Things you didn't know about Vimto==
- Vimto has been on the market for more than 100 years.
- Vimto has enjoyed over 80 Ramadan celebrations within the Middle East region.
- More than 31 million bottles of Vimto cordial were sold in the Middle East in 2011.
- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE were the top three Biggest drinkers of Vimto.
- The gulf region is considered the first globally after the UK market.
