Coca Colla
Encyclopedia
Coca Colla is an energy drink
which is produced in Bolivia
with the use of coca
extract as its base. It was launched on the Bolivian market in La Paz
, Santa Cruz
and Cochabamba
in mid-April 2010. Not only are the name and ingredients similar to Coca-Cola
, but the colors and logo are of a similar nature. The release of this product is part of the process of the industrialization of coca followed by the Morales Administration
.
The "Colla" component of the name comes from Collasuyo, the southern area of the Inca empire
which included the western part of Bolivia. The term Colla is nowadays used to name the Aymara and Quechua, indigenous people of Bolivia which make a traditional use of coca leaves.
leaf extracts, a plant also known for its use as the base of cocaine
powder. This is a restricted substance in many countries and illegal to sell, buy or distribute in North America and Europe.
, Bolivia
's first indigenous Aymara Indian president, announced last year he will make efforts to support the peoples of the Andes
Mountains who have been using Coca
leaves for traditional use such as medication and rituals for thousands of years. 30000 acres (121.4 km²) of the Andes Mountain region is set aside for coca
bush growth annually. This area is set to increase to 80000 acres (323.7 km²) with the increase of the government's drive for legitimate use for the Coca
plant, such as toothpaste, pharmaceuticals and coca tea
.
The International Narcotics Control Board
of the United Nations
has had the coca leaf on the list of dangerous drugs since 1961. Exporting the drink worldwide will not be possible unless drug laws are changed, including local Bolivian law which prevents exporting any coca based product from the country. However, importers from Iran
, Bolivia's economic and political ally, have already expressed an interest in over 2 million units of the drink when large scale production starts.
awareness of the new Coca Colla drink. The launch has sparked world wide interest about the questionable nature of the product's ingredients.
famously used Coca extracts in its original recipe, but the alkaloid cocaine
was removed in 1903. However, coca leaf extracts are still used today as a flavouring and up to 7.26 metric tonnes (or 8 tons) of coca leaf are imported into the USA for Coca-Cola production annually.
Red Bull
cola contains coca leaf extracts in its energy drink. However, there are three main alkaloids in the coca
leaf and the extract used is de-cocainized.
Vin Mariani
wine was a coca based drink. In 1863 Angelo Mariani treated Bordeaux wine
with coca
leaves, selling the drink as à la Coca du Pérou. Vin Mariani fans included Pope Leo XIII
who awarded the drink a Vatican Gold Medal.
Energy drink
Energy drinks are beverages whose producers advertise that they "boost energy." These advertisements usually do not emphasize energy derived from the sugar and caffeine they contain but rather increased energy release due to a variety of stimulants and vitamins....
which is produced in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
with the use of coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
extract as its base. It was launched on the Bolivian market in La Paz
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...
and Cochabamba
Cochabamba
Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a valley bearing the same name in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and is the fourth largest city in Bolivia with an urban population of 608,276 and a metropolitan population of more than 1,000,000 people...
in mid-April 2010. Not only are the name and ingredients similar to Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, but the colors and logo are of a similar nature. The release of this product is part of the process of the industrialization of coca followed by the Morales Administration
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
.
The "Colla" component of the name comes from Collasuyo, the southern area of the Inca empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
which included the western part of Bolivia. The term Colla is nowadays used to name the Aymara and Quechua, indigenous people of Bolivia which make a traditional use of coca leaves.
Description
The drink has a red label with white writing, is dark caramel in color, tastes sweet and comes in 500 ml bottles priced at $1.50 (around £1 GBP or €1 EUR). It is made from cocaCoca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
leaf extracts, a plant also known for its use as the base of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
powder. This is a restricted substance in many countries and illegal to sell, buy or distribute in North America and Europe.
Use and export
Evo MoralesEvo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
's first indigenous Aymara Indian president, announced last year he will make efforts to support the peoples of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
Mountains who have been using Coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
leaves for traditional use such as medication and rituals for thousands of years. 30000 acres (121.4 km²) of the Andes Mountain region is set aside for coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
bush growth annually. This area is set to increase to 80000 acres (323.7 km²) with the increase of the government's drive for legitimate use for the Coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
plant, such as toothpaste, pharmaceuticals and coca tea
Coca tea
Coca tea, also called mate de coca, is a tisane made using the leaves of the coca plant; typically the raw leaves of the plant. It is made either by submerging the coca leaf or dipping a tea bag in hot water...
.
The International Narcotics Control Board
International Narcotics Control Board
The International Narcotics Control Board is the independent and quasi-judicial control organ for the implementation of the United Nations drug conventions...
of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
has had the coca leaf on the list of dangerous drugs since 1961. Exporting the drink worldwide will not be possible unless drug laws are changed, including local Bolivian law which prevents exporting any coca based product from the country. However, importers from Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Bolivia's economic and political ally, have already expressed an interest in over 2 million units of the drink when large scale production starts.
Advertising
A joint collaboration between the Bolivian based drink's manufacturer and the European based advertising guerrilla group has been launched to increase the global mass mediaMass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
awareness of the new Coca Colla drink. The launch has sparked world wide interest about the questionable nature of the product's ingredients.
Commercial use of coca
Coca-ColaCoca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
famously used Coca extracts in its original recipe, but the alkaloid cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
was removed in 1903. However, coca leaf extracts are still used today as a flavouring and up to 7.26 metric tonnes (or 8 tons) of coca leaf are imported into the USA for Coca-Cola production annually.
Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
cola contains coca leaf extracts in its energy drink. However, there are three main alkaloids in the coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
leaf and the extract used is de-cocainized.
Vin Mariani
Vin Mariani
Vin Mariani was a tonic and patent medicine created circa 1863 by Angelo Mariani, a French chemist who became intrigued with coca and its economic potential after reading Paolo Mantegazza’s paper on coca's effects...
wine was a coca based drink. In 1863 Angelo Mariani treated Bordeaux wine
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
with coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
leaves, selling the drink as à la Coca du Pérou. Vin Mariani fans included Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
who awarded the drink a Vatican Gold Medal.