Sport-Cola

Every Dane knows Hancock Sport-Cola. Although it is sold almost exclusively in Denmark, Hancock Bryggerierne bottles between 1.5 and 2 million bottles every year for a population of around six million people. Sport-Cola has grown into a Danish icon, earning cult status along the way. Today, it is the brewery’s best-selling soft drink.

Sport-Cola was developed by Hancock Brewery and first bottled on November 12, 1974. The brewery regarded it as a successful new product from the beginning, but sales were modest during its early years. For many years, the drink remained largely confined to western Denmark before gradually becoming available across the country.

Although it is marketed as a cola and contains kola nut, its golden color and distinctly citrus flavor make it unique among colas.

One of the drink’s most distinctive features is its packaging. From the beginning, Hancock chose to bottle Sport-Cola in its regular 33 cl beer bottle instead of the standard soft drink bottle. At the time, Denmark operated a nationwide deposit-return system based on standardized glass bottles shared by breweries. Soft drinks were almost universally sold in standardized 25 cl bottles, while beer was bottled in standardized dark 33 cl bottles. By using a beer bottle for a soft drink, Hancock created a product that immediately stood out on store shelves.

Hancock Bryggerierne, founded in 1876, remains family owned. While the brewery’s other soft drinks are sold in standard 25 cl bottles, Sport-Cola continues to be bottled in the traditional 33 cl glass beer bottle. Even though most manufacturers have since adopted proprietary glass bottles, PET bottles, or aluminum cans, the distinctive bottle remains one of Sport-Cola’s defining characteristics.

Alongside Sport-Cola, Hancock produces a range of traditional soft drinks, including Hancock Cola and Hancock Hvid Cola (“White Cola”). White Cola is identical to Hancock Cola except that it contains no caramel coloring, giving it a clear appearance instead of the traditional dark brown color.

White Cola dates back to the 1970s, when caramel coloring was widely, though incorrectly, associated with cancer. The drink remained available into the 1980s before eventually being discontinued. After several years out of production, Hancock Brewery reintroduced White Cola in response to customer demand. It continues to appeal to nostalgic consumers who regard a clear cola as something out of the ordinary.

The editor of this blog considers Hancock Cola to be one of the best colas in the world.

In Kenneth’s collection

• Three Sport-Colas with slightly different label designs
• a Hancock Cola in 33 cl glass bottle (exp. April 2017)
• a Hancock Hvid Cola in 33 cl glass bottle (exp. December 2024)