Adil Najam
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Pakola.
If you are not Pakistani you are asking ‘What is Pakola?’ If you are you probably know that it is Pakistan’s first branded bottled soft drink, and one that has been a remarkably resilient brand. Well, the fact that it is celebrating its 60th birthday proves just how resilient.
Reportedly, it was launched on August 14, 1950 by Haji Ali Mohammad and was for ages the Pakistan’s ice cream soda of choice. Over the years, it has grown in its range to now also include orange and lyechee flavors. Reportedly it now also has a Pakola milk range. Its packaging has become more colorful and varied and now includes boxed drinks and canned drinks in addition to its traditional dark green bottle. Distributed by Mehran Bottlers, it has clearly been a success story and an unlikely one given the power of international brands like Coke and Pepsi in Pakistan. Of course, it is not the only Paksiatni soft drinks brand – Shehzan is another iconic one – but it is a distinctively Pakistani brand; hence this post.
Let me confess that I have never been a great fan of Pakola. Rooh Afza was always more of my thing! Pakola’s taste was always too sweet and strong for me. But I have always been fascinated by the brand, by its resilience, and of course by its name. The “Pak” in Pakola is very much for Pakistan.
So, for once I was glad to receive a piece of marketing junk mail in my in box announcing that Pakola was turning 60. If you have a can or bottle handy, raise your Pakola to Pakola. For a brand well done!
Pakola is a great brand
Some comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
– ‘ham ko branding nai ati … haahah pakistan main pakola nai milti kabe dekhe nai”
– “earing abt this brand for the very first time…….”
– “For a brand so old as Pakola, it is extremely conservative and risk averse. Its legendary products are still not available in the north of the country. They have always been content with Karachi as their primary and only market. It’s brilliant that they have survived for so long, but it seems they have never challenged Coke or Pepsi head on, but have been happy with their small base of loyal customers.”
– “I hope, now they will expand and will make pakola an international product. it deserves that”
We went on a school trip to the Pakola factory many years ago, even then it was a modern plant and I am sure they have upgraded it many times since. At that time Pakola was a house hold name with ice cream soda being its front line brand, kids used to love this flavor then and they love it even today.it also had coffee soda and orange flavors and many other flavors to offer..Today in spite of stiffer competition from other brands it is still a popular drink amongst the Pakistanis across the globe.
This company has maintained its quality and as such have performed well.
I like taste of Pakola. Iwas delighted to have it at dinner
at Madina Market Restaurant,Brighton,MA
Welcome Pakola in USA.
I like the “green” association – now that everything green is good, maybe Pakola qualifies, although I don’t want to think too much about the sugar content. A guilty pleasure that adults don’t talk about much – Pakola.