Culture
Why a Sweet British Drink Is Popular During Ramadan
Vimto, a fruity English soft drink, is now a favorite way to break the fast.
Most Americans have never heard of Vimto, a syrupy purple concoction invented in Manchester, England in 1908. (Kool-Aid is perhaps the nearest U.S. equivalent.) Today, many in the Middle East—especially in the Persian Gulf states—love the beverage. Thirty-five million bottles of Vimto are sold in the region each year, with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) being the largest non-domestic markets for the brew.
The love goes beyond everyday enjoyment. Vimto has become a kind of symbol of Ramadan, the holy month during which Muslims neither drink nor eat from sun-up to sundown. During Ramadan, which began this week, it is customary to break the fast by eating dates and drinking water.