Sarsi (drink)

Sarsi, Sarsae is several brand name of sarsaparilla soft drink, similar to root beer, produces by various companies in most Southeast Asian countries.

Sarsi (brand)

A can of Malaysian F&N Sarsi.

Philippines

In the Philippines, Sarsi is a brand name for a sarsi (sarsaparilla) drink manufactured by Cosmos Bottling Corporation, a local company that is now a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc.[1] Cosmos Bottling Corporation was established in 1918, first known as Manila Aerated Water Company. [2] It was formerly called as Cosmos Sarsaparilla until the 70s, which is now called Sarsi, which is a shortened name for sarsaparilla.

Its unique taste that separates it from other Sarsaparilla-based soft drinks (Root Beer) is attributed to the use of the sugar substitute, Saccharin. Even though in its "Regular" formula contains HFC (High fructose corn syrup) or cane sugar.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, F&N Sarsi (originally branded as Sarsi) is a brand name for a sarsi drink manufactured by the F&N Group. It is unrelated to the brand established in the Philippines.

Other brands

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, Sarsae (沙示) is the most popular brand of the sarsi drink. It is manufactured and distributed by the A.S. Watson Group, which pioneered in carbonated beverages in Hong Kong.[3] The drink was the central plot device of a 1985 film called It's a Drink, It's a Bomb (starring George Lam, John Sham and Maggie Cheung), about a hand grenade disguised as a Sarsae cola. Its explosive power is activated once its ringpull is released.[4]

Mainland China

In China, the drink's introduction can be traced back to the 1920s, when A.S. Watson began producing sarsi in Shanghai and other Chinese cities. In the 1940s, Li Zhiyang (李智扬), Li Guanling (李冠玲), Huang Youtong (黄油桶), Liang Hanqi (梁汉奇), and Wang Zhensan (王震山) were among eleven people who had worked in Watson's Canton and founded Asian Waters in Guangzhou to continue producing Sarsae there and in other mainland Chinese locations. [5]

Asia Sarsae are now produced by Xiangxue Pharmaceutical.

Taiwan

HeySong Sarsaparilla (黑松沙士) . From left to right, Sweetie Energy with guarana extract, "Salty", and regular.

HeySong Sarsaparilla (Chinese: 黑松沙士) is the most popular brand of sarsi drink in Taiwan. It is manufactured by HeySong Corporation.[6]

It is available in three varieties:

  • Regular - regular sarsaparilla flavor.
  • Sweetie Energy - sweet and mellow, similar to A&W cream soda, but with added guarana extract.
  • Salty - significantly more salty and bitter aftertaste, like Barq's root beer in the US.

Vietnam

In Vietnam, the drink is one of the flavors (Xá Xị) sold under the Mirinda brand, bottled and distributed by Suntory-PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage (formerly, PepsiCo Vietnam).[7]

There are two local brands offering their own sarsi drink:

  • Sá Xị Chương Dương by Chuong Duong Beverages.
  • Wonderfarm Zizy by Interfood Shareholding Company.

Thailand

Hi-Mark by Green Spot, is the only known sarsi drink in Thailand. It has been discontinued in the market since 2000.

Cambodia

In Cambodia, the drink is one of the flavors sold under the Fanta brand, bottled and distributed by Cambodia Beverage Company Ltd., a unit of the Coca-Cola SABCO Group.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Morales, Neil Jerome C. "Cosmos sets delisting from PSEi". Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "Philippine Daily Inquirer - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  3. ↑ http://www.hutchison-whampoa.com/upload/en/about/journal/Sphere17-Then_and_Now_E.pdf
  4. ↑ "It's a Drink, It's a Bomb (1985)". Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  5. ↑ Judy. "亚洲（汽水）". Guangzhou Daily. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  6. ↑ Jinn's Publishers et al. "Omoshiro Temakan Meguri No.4: HeySong Soft Drink Museum". Nãruhodo The Taiwan. Vol. 235. October 2006.
  7. ↑ "Mirinda". Archived from the original on 2017-03-28. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  8. ↑ ppp_webadmin (3 July 2011). "Coca-Cola celebrates 125th Anniversary". Retrieved 1 April 2017.
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