Colas from Trinidad: SM Jaleel & Co.
SM Jaleel & Co., headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, is the Caribbean’s largest producer of non-alcoholic beverages. Since its founding in 1924, the company has developed a diverse portfolio of soft drinks and juices, including at least three different colas.
Cola Development Over Time
SM Jaleel’s earliest known cola product was Dixi Cola, an American brand introduced around 1959. The company began bottling Dixi Cola under license in Trinidad and Tobago in 1968, with production continuing at least until 1984 when the cola was available in 2-liter PET bottles.
The production of Dixi Cola might have continued until 1989, when the company behind Dixi Cola, Dixi-Cola Industries closed.
In 1992, SM Jaleel signed a distribution agreement with Pepsi in Trinidad and Tobago. It is unclear when this stopped.
SM Jaleel’s first attempt with its own cola might have been in 1993 when the company introduced Chubby, a soft drink line targeted at children aged 4 to 9. The series includes a cola variant and is packaged in patented PET bottles. Thanks to international distribution agreements, Chubby products are now available in markets worldwide, from Canada to Brazil, and India.
The Busta brand was launched in 1997 and also featured a cola variant. Although Busta Cola is no longer sold in Trinidad and Tobago, the brand has expanded to several countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. Notably, Busta Cola was introduced in Jamaica in 2024, where the Busta brand was already established.
Current Production
Today, SM Jaleel produces Classic Cola, initially launched sometime before 2006 under the name American Classic Cola. This cola is part of a range of traditional soft drink flavors such as ginger ale and lime, marketed as an affordable alternative to major international brands.
