15/11/2023, 20:18 Mecca-Cola - Wikipedia

Mecca-Cola
Mecca-Cola is a cola-flavoured carbonated
beverage. The flagship product of the Mecca Cola Mecca-Cola
World Company, it is marketed as an alternative to
U.S. brands such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola to
"pro-Muslim" consumers. The product's name
contains the traditional Latin-alphabet
transliteration of ‫مكة‬, "Mecca" in Saudi Arabia.

Details Type Cola

Manufacturer Mecca Cola World Company
Mecca-Cola was launched in France, in November
2002,[1][2] by Tawfik Mathlouthi as a means of Country of origin France
aiding Palestinians by tapping into demand for Introduced November 2002
alternative products in European countries. He had
Related products Coca-Cola, Zamzam Cola,
been inspired by a popular Iranian soft drink,
Qibla Cola
Zamzam Cola and only decided to launch his own
brand when he was unable to agree on terms for a Website https://meccacolagroup.com/
distribution contract with Zamzam,[3] as well as
providing an alternative for his sons instead of Coca-Cola.[4]

Mecca-Cola is now sold in some parts of the Arab world as well as in certain regions of Europe. It
has also been bought and consumed in certain parts of the United States, Britain, India and
Canada. Although the product was created in France, the company is currently based in Dubai in
the United Arab Emirates. Part of its corporate philosophy is, according to the Muslim charity
precept, to support charities, and in particular to help the Palestinian people.[5] It pledges to
donate 10% of its profits to fund strictly humanitarian projects (such as schools) in the Palestinian
territories, and another 10% to charities in the countries in which the drink is sold.[2][6] This
activist stance is reflected in the company slogan, which appears on all its products: "Shake your
Conscience." The company also suggests that people avoid mixing the drink with alcohol. Mecca is
the Islamic holy city, giving the name of the cola a religious connotation.

In addition to several different presentations of its cola, the company also sells a range of fruit-
flavoured soft drinks under the Mecca-Cola name. The company was the sponsor of – and Mecca-
Cola the official drink of – the October 2003 Summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference
(OIC), held in Malaysia.

In a BBC documentary produced in 2003, Qibla Cola's Zafer Iqbal and Mecca Cola's Mathlouthi are
shown promoting their "Message in a Bottle".

In 2012 the Federal Supreme Court of the United Arab Emirates decided that "Mecca-Cola" could
not be registered as a trademark, due to a law disallowing religious connotations in trademarks.[7]

In 2015, Mecca Cola dissolved operations in many countries including India and the UK. [8][9]

International distribution
By 2008 Mecca Cola was distributed in 64 countries across the world.[10] Distribution in each
country started on a unique date. A partial list of countries where it is distributed is as follows:
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Date
Country Notes
launched

November The company originally started in France[2] before moving to Dubai. It is also the
France
2002 company's top market. However, it only holds 1.7% of the market share.[10]

November
Pakistan[11] In the company's top 5 markets
2003
October
Malaysia[12] 2003
In the company's top 5 markets

Yemen[13] June 2003 In the company's top 5 markets, holding 22% of market shares

Algeria[14] August 2003 In the company's top 5 markets, holding 19% of market shares

Saudi February
All products are distributed through an $80 million plant set up here
Arabia[15] 2003

UAE[16] April 2003 The company is currently headquartered here.

Oman[17] 2003

Qatar[17] 2003

Kuwait[17] 2003

Iraq[18] April 2003

February
Lebanon[19]
2003

Jordan[17] 2003

Syria[17] 2003

India[20] March 2004 Launched first in Jammu and Kashmir, then in Gujarat.

Bangladesh[21] May 2005

Notes
1. Verity Murphy (8 January 2003). "Mecca Cola challenges US rival" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/
world/middle_east/2640259.stm). BBC. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
2. Chevalier, Michel (2012). Luxury Brand Management. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons.
ISBN 978-1-118-17176-9.
3. [1] (https://www.islamonline.net/english/news/2003-02/04/article04.shtml) BBC News
4. Tagliabue, John (2002-12-31). "They Choke On Coke, But Savor Mecca-Cola" (https://www.nyti
mes.com/2002/12/31/world/they-choke-on-coke-but-savor-mecca-cola.html). The New York
Times. ISSN 0362-4331 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2020-03-31.
5. [2] (https://web.archive.org/web/20070928041147/http://www.mecca-cola.com/en/index.php)
Mecca-Cola corporate website as of 2007/06/20
6. [3] (https://web.archive.org/web/20070620152808/http://www.mecca-cola.com/en/assosiation.p
hp) Mecca-Cola website as of 2007/06/20
7. Haneen Dajani (14 February 2012). " 'Mecca' banned for use as brand name by top courts" (htt
p://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/mecca-banned-for-use-as-brand-name-by-top-courts).
The National. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
8. "Mecca-cola Beverages Private Limited Information - Mecca-cola Beverages Private Limited
Company Profile, Mecca-cola Beverages Private Limited News on the Economic Times" (http
s://economictimes.indiatimes.com/company/mecca-cola-beverages-private-limited/U15540GJ2
005PTC045777).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecca-Cola 2/3
15/11/2023, 20:18 Mecca-Cola - Wikipedia

9. "MECCA COLA LIMITED. Free business summary taken from official companies house
information. Free alerts. Registered as 04798073" (https://companycheck.co.uk/company/0479
8073/MECCA-COLA-LIMITED/companies-house-data).
10. Bangkok's Independent Newspaper (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/01/21/business/bu
siness_30062839.php) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20080215060014/http://www.nati
onmultimedia.com/2008/01/21/business/business_30062839.php) 2008-02-15 at the Wayback
Machine
11. pakistani perspective: Mecca Cola launched in Pakistan - PakTribune (http://www.pakp.com/20
03/11/mecca-cola-launched-in-pakistan.html) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/200610210
54255/http://www.pakp.com/2003/11/mecca-cola-launched-in-pakistan.html) 2006-10-21 at the
Wayback Machine
12. "Cengage Learning" (http://www.cengage.com/). www.cengage.com. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
13. Mecca Cola introduced to the Yemeni market – Yemen Times (http://www.yementimes.com/arti
cle.shtml?i=636&p=local&a=11) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20080228114340/http://
www.yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=636&p=local&a=11) 2008-02-28 at the Wayback
Machine
14. "Arab News" (http://www.arabnews.com/). Arab News. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
15. "FRANCE: Mecca Cola to launch in Middle East" (https://www.just-drinks.com/news/mecca-col
a-to-launch-in-middle-east_id71209.aspx). www.just-drinks.com. 2003-01-20. Retrieved
2019-06-07.
16. "Road to Mecca" (http://www.itp.net/494277). ITP.net. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
17. "Mecca-Cola - BetterCuisine" (https://web.archive.org/web/20071219205540/http://www.betterc
uisine.org/topics/Mecca-Cola). 2007-12-19. Archived from the original (http://www.bettercuisine.
org/topics/Mecca-Cola) on 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
18. BW Online | April 17, 2003 | After Iraq, Cola Wars Heat Up (https://web.archive.org/web/200304
23160940/http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/apr2003/nf20030417_5930_db039.ht
m)
19. THE-EDGE: News (http://www.earthisland.org/project/newsPage2.cfm?newsID=348&pageID=
177&subSiteID=44) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20070714070103/http://www.earthisl
and.org/project/newsPage2.cfm?newsID=348&pageID=177&subSiteID=44) 2007-07-14 at the
Wayback Machine
20. Farrar, F. W. (Frederic William), 1831-1903. (1994). The life of Christ. Bookcraft.
ISBN 0884949397. OCLC 30964787 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/30964787).
21. Mecca Today (http://archive.wn.com/2005/05/11/1400/meccatoday/)

External links
Official website (http://mecca-cola.com/)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mecca-Cola&oldid=1175115672"

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