How Goli Soda popped its way to global glory

What's the secret to a century of brand success? What intangible quality allows a product, born in India, to not just endure, but to make a splash in global markets almost a hundred years later?

The answer, it seems, lies in the enduring appeal of its packaging.

Yes, we’re talking about the humble Goli Soda.

The traditional Indian Goli Soda (soda in glass bottles sealed with marbles) continues to quench the thirst of Indians in the scorching summer months since it first started selling in British India. It is as much a rage now as it was when it launched in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, back in 1924. Today, this traditional Indian thirst quencher has entered foreign markets spearheaded by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Goli Soda has been rebranded as Goli Pop Soda. It has brand new packaging and what’s more, a unique pop opener. Under a strategic partnership with Fair Exports, India has ensured steady deliveries of Goli Soda, to Lulu Hypermarket, one of the largest retail chains in the Gulf region. Successful trial shipments have been made to the US, UK, Europe and the Gulf countries.

Indian beverages with international appeal

Traditional Indian drinks are known to have made inroads into international markets and have been adapted into local cultures. The Indian Masala chai finds takers in global markets, having made it to menus worldwide. Chai Latte, a version of Masala tea, which has gained popularity in the West is now on the Starbucks menu too. Rooh Afza, the beloved herbal summer drink, created in old Delhi in 1907, has found takers in not just South East Asia but also in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.

What’s special about Goli Pop Soda?

How has Goli Pop Soda stood the test of time? Is it the taste or its nostalgia value? Dr Smitha Ranganathan, a brand strategist, says the appeal goes beyond just taste, “Goli Soda taps into something deeper than taste, it’s a cultural cue wrapped in a sensory ritual. The iconic codd-neck bottle and goli (marble) deliver a unique gratification in the opening experience and the anticipation of the fizz that follows. While every region in India has its own local flavour, the marble and the pop remain the point of parity, anchoring it as a sub-category within fizzy drinks. It’s this blend of local relevance, ritualised consumption, and enduring nostalgia that gives Goli Soda its staying power.”

Legacy in a bottle

Kannan and Co.'s Goli Soda story began in Vellore, with a key investment by S.V. Kannusami Mudaliyar. He sent ₹2,000 to Germany for the iconic marble-sealed bottles, starting a journey that has now seen the brand expand overseas.

However, the journey was not always a smooth ride. India’s economy was struggling post-independence and soon new competitors emerged.

With liberalisation in the 1990s, Cola brands swept the Indian market but the owners of Goli Soda did not feel pressured to change anything about their business. They stayed true to the brand ethos and also did not expand.

There was a resurgence in sales in 2017 as the ‘Vocal for Local’ sentiment caught on during the Jallikattu protests in Tamil Nadu. The new generation that took over around this time also modernised the system with newer machines. During the COVID pandemic, sales of Goli Soda again took a beating as sales of cold drinks dipped.

Goli Soda’s niche in India’s non-alcoholic beverage industry

The non-alcoholic beverages market in India was valued at ₹INR 1.37 trillion in 2023 and is expected to reach ₹INR 2.10 trillion by 2029, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of ~7.06% during the 2024 - 2029 forecast period.

The industry is seeing a shift towards healthier and more authentic alternatives, with a bit of nostalgia thrown in. Beverage brands like Paperboat have built a whole business on nostalgia as they sell authentic fruit juices that feed off childhood memories and our associations with them.

Goli Soda, also known as Bunta Soda in many parts of the country, scores high on nostalgia value and convenience. Interestingly, Indian communities living abroad are instrumental in driving the demand as they yearn for their roots.

Dr Ranganathan explains how Goli Soda has been a part of growing up in India. “There’s deep-rooted nostalgia associated with this drink, etched in after-school walks, childhood train journeys, and lazy afternoons at roadside sharbat stores. For many of us, it was the reward for finishing holiday homework, the cool-down after a street cricket match, or the fizzy fix while waiting at the local barber shop. Its clink and pop marked micro celebrations in everyday life. Thus this sub-category lives on not just for its taste, but because it’s woven into the sensory and social fabric of growing up in India,” she says.

Its international success is being hailed by the Ministry of Commerce as proof that India's homegrown tastes can hold their own on the global stage, paving the way for a surge in exports from the country's dynamic food and beverage sector.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently celebrated the milestone on X, “Bharat’s very own Goli Pop Soda returns to wow tastebuds worldwide! Kudos to @APEDADOC for promoting the revival of the traditional Indian Goli Soda,” he wrote.

What fuels Goli Soda’s worldwide buzz?

Dr Ranganathan attributes this global interest to two main reasons. “Among Indian expatriates, Goli Soda serves as a flavourful bridge to their homeland, evoking cherished memories of simpler times through everyday sensory experiences. Introducing this beverage to younger family members allows them to share a tangible piece of their lifestyle punctuated with nostalgia. Secondly, the global beverage industry is witnessing a shift towards healthier, more authentic alternatives to mass-produced soft drinks and Goli Soda fits in with this demand,” she says.

With a fresh new look and the fun of that unique pop opener, Goli Soda brings a playful touch to a hot summer day. Isn't it time to relive those familiar fizzy memories?