Gusto Organic Real Cola
Blue agave is the defining ingredient in Gusto Organic Real Cola. Blue agave can be processed into agave syrup, which has a higher sweetness intensity than sugar and can therefore be used in food and drinks with lower calorie content. Gusto Organic Real Cola has been produced since 2017 by Gusto Organic and uses real kola nuts, with acidity derived from organic lemon juice rather than the usual phosphoric acid.
The origins of Gusto Organic date back to the late 1980s. During preparations for the 20th anniversary of his company Whole Earth Foods, Craig Sams developed a non-alcoholic drink loosely based on Whole Earth Cola. The drink contained guarana and kola and functioned well as an energy drink. Sams considered bottling the product, but as it did not fit within the existing Whole Earth range, plans for wider production were not pursued at the time. In 1990, Craig Sams’ daughter revived the idea and started bottling the product under the name Gusto.
Over the following years, the company expanded its range with additional soft drinks. In 2012, the original drink was relaunched as Gusto Organic Sparkling Kola and was joined by a lemonade and an orangeade. In 2015, Gusto Organic introduced its first dedicated cola product, marketed as Gusto Cola. At the same time, the original drink was renamed Original Energy to avoid two cola-labelled products under the same brand.
In 2017, the cola underwent a reformulation and rebranding and was relaunched as Gusto Organic Real Cola with a revised recipe and updated visual identity. The standard version contains 9 g of sugar per 100 ml. A reduced-calorie variant, Gusto Naturally Slim Cola, was introduced alongside it, containing about 5 g of sugar per 100 ml and using stevia and erythritol to replace part of the blue agave. In April 2018, Gusto Organic Real Cherry Cola was added to the range. Additional flavor variants include blood orange, ginger, and lemon.
By 2026, Gusto Organic products are available across the United Kingdom and are exported to ten countries from the Netherlands to Singapore.
In Kenneth’s collection
- A 275 ml glass bottle (exp. December 2023), purchased in Denmark.
