Kia Ora Orange squash is one of those products that has been around for ever. As a kid my mother used to swear by it and there was always a bottle in the cupboard.
I am sure some of you must remember that freaky advert from about 20 years ago, or maybe it's just me who needs to get out a little more.
Kia Ora takes its strange name from the Maori word for welcome. It is an orange squash drink originally sold in a glass bottle but now packaged in a plastic bottle for cheapness and safety. It is manufactured and marketed by the Coca Cola group of companies.
What Is It Like?
The first thing that you notice when you unscrew the cap is the smell. Kia Ora has a very rich sweet smell of oranges, yes it really does smell of the real thing, but then again it is made from real oranges and according to the bottle contains 13% real oranges, which when diluted down to the recommended one part cordial to four parts water becomes 2.6%. I know it doesn't seem a lot but enhanced with the flavourings you can definitely still smell the orange like smell.
The colour is a very deep and rich orange and the texture when poured from the bottle is quite thick and concentrated. You can actually see the cordial stick to the side of the glass before it is diluted.
The taste however is a little bit of a disappointment, for something that smells just like oranges it does not really taste of fresh oranges. Instead it has a sweet flavoured taste, not unpleasant and quite refreshing but nevertheless not of real oranges.
The product contains no added sugars, it uses aspartame and saccharin for its sweetener, it also does not contain tartrazine or other similar artificial colours. It contains just 12 calories per 100ml undiluted.
The product contains traces of gelatine but the amount is considered to be permissible by the food agencies board.
The label on the bottle itself has pictures of real oranges sliced in half and also cartoon characters on the front. The reverse of the label features the ingredients and nutritional information as you would expect. There are also contact details as below
Kia Ora Coca Cola Enterprises Ltd Uxbridge UB8 1EZ
Consumer Careline: 0800 227711
Other Information
Kia Ora Orange Squash was originally produced by Chivers and was launched onto the Irish market in 1985, having been available in the UK for a few years prior to that date, since then it has become a firm favourite in the squash market. The range is available in standard and no added sugar varieties, represented in one and two litre packs. It is available in a variety of flavours including orange, orange and pineapple, lemon, pear and blackcurrant and mixed fruit.
Conclusion
A nice pleasant drink and reasonably priced at just 89p for a one litre bottle in my local spar. It is good to keep in the fridge for a nice hot summers day.
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Jul 4th, 2005
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