In early March, Reliance announced that it was bringing back the iconic retro soft drink Campa. The 70s and 80s kids were beyond excited to once again relish in the taste of the childhood drink after years of craving it.?
In August 2022, Reliance paid Rs 22 crore to Delhi-based Pure Drinks Ltd. for the company. Back in the day, the brand was a popular choice in the country. Campa Cola?dominated the soft drink market until western brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola entered and gulped it down.
After hearing about the brand¡¯s relaunch and people¡¯s curiosity about its flavour, I took it upon myself to retrieve the hot commodity and review it for the good of all. The journey to get my hands on the product was already a battle of its own.?
Although it was relaunched in the markets on March 9, you can only get your hands on the drink through a Reliance store or its delivery services via JioMart. As for its pricing, Campa Cola is the same price as a 2L bottle of Coca-Cola or?Thums Up, which is Rs 95 MRP, while a 1.5L bottle of Pepsi retails for Rs 80. Reliance has begun rolling out two new flavours, Orange and Lemon, in addition to Campa's cola.
As for its taste, simply put, it lacked lustre. The formula tasted watered down and was much sweeter than its rivals. In addition to Campa, I tried Thums Up, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola to compare the flavours. The "great Indian taste" was significantly different from the other three, which is not a bad attribute. Especially when the other three tasted identical in comparison.
The taste of Campa Cola was somewhat closer to a cola ice popsicle than a soft drink. Even after minutes of letting the drinks sit on their own, Thums Up barely lost its fizzy constitution while Pepsi and Coca-Cola started to run flat. On the other hand, Campa Cola had lost most of its fizz, and all that was left to enjoy was its flavour.?
After having a taste of the relaunched product, it is not far-fetched to estimate that Campa Cola will certainly remain a niche choice. A sure-shot hit for people who dislike getting blasted with the fizz in the other drinks available in the market. One thing that Campa nailed with its relaunch is its unique flavour profile, which is significantly different from its competitors. Only time will tell if this uniqueness will be a home run or a strikeout.