‘Boycott Israel’ breathes new life into 100-year-old Egyptian soda brand – By Yasmin Shabana (Al Jazeera) / Nov 19, 2023
Campaign to boycott Western producers linked to Israel has reignited demand for soda brand founded by Greek beekeeper
Cairo, Egypt – Spiro Spathis, Egypt’s oldest carbonated drinks company, is having a sensational comeback.
Founded in 1920 by a Greek beekeeper from Kefalonia whose name it bears, “Spathis” has been part of life for generations of Egyptians
Now, thanks to a nationwide campaign to boycott Western producers supportive of Israel, the century-old brand is causing a stir as the poster child for Egyptian solidarity with Palestinians.
Spiro Spathis, which has always been proud of its role as Egypt’s first soft drink brand, is rolling out slogans like “100% Made in Egypt” and “Egypt’s original gazouza”, using an Egyptian term thought to derive from the French “gazeuse” (carbonated) and widely used to refer to fizzy drinks.
