WHISKEY? NO,SOSYO-INDIA’S FIRST SWADESHI SOFT DRINK

If there is one Indian aerated drink that has been holding up fort against American colas,it has to be Sosyo.Yes apnu own Surti soft drink,’a drink which has to be drunk thrice, in a glass full of ice ,to get the taste of spice’as the followers say.

Sosyo was born in Surat in 1927 during the ‘Swadeshi’ movement when Gandhiji called for a ban on imported products,Mr.Mohsin.Hajoori introduced it as the Indian option to the U.K. drink, ‘vimto’ which the Hajoori company’s founder, Mr.Abdul Hajoori was marketing in India since 1923.

Originally called ‘Whisky No’ ,to attract both alcoholics and teetotallers,it was bottled with a London made soda maker at first and later on Indian,semi automatic hand filled soda makers, sealed with a marble ,in a factory that was set up in Salabatpura by Hajoori and sons.Marketed by the manufacturers in bullock carts that set out to surrounding villages,selling the swadeshi product.

‘whiskey no’ the interesting name was derived from the fact that sosyo tastes like alcohol,but is not.’It is the only non alcoholic beverage that tastes like a perfect mix of whiskey,rum and soda.’ says Dhiren Shah,a die hard Sosyo fan.
'It is not a cola but a non alcoholic cocktail',smiles Usha Kapadia ,who has been relishing it since the past 52 years,'I remember the old bottle with a sticker on it and foil on top.'

This popular drink later derived its present name from the Latin word ‘socious’,since it became a social drink.
‘A heady mixture of grape and apple cider with some ingredients that are imported from Germany and Italy and also a blood building agent.Anything in excess is harmful,but nothing acts as a better digestive to Surti food . ‘proudly claims owner Mr.Abaas Hajoori who heads the Surat bottling plant,now at Sosyo circle,Udhna Magdalla road ,the only place where the secret mixture is concocted,’our bottles now have a pvc seal for authenticity.Sosyo is best served chilled’

Over time,the company progressed to other drinks of which ‘Kashmira’,a digestive soda made with jeera,clove,capsicum,ginger and pepper is a very popular product.Lemee,Ginlim,Misty are other flavours that are manufactured and packaged in pet bottles and 100% fruit juices have now been introduced.

More than 50 million bottles of Sosyo are consumed in Gujarat and Maharashtra annually,where the company has its bottling plants.People from neighbouring states who visit Surat often carry bottles of Sosyo and Kashmira back. Now popular in videshi shores and stores,it is exported as far as U.A.E,South Africa,New Zealand,U.K. and the U.S.of A.

The export bottles proudly claim in bold letters’AN INDIAN DRINK’ with a tri coloured backdrop,after all, it is the first one.