Editing Calpis

{{short description|Japanese uncarbonated soft drink}}
{{For|the Greek pottery style|Kalpis (pottery)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{COI|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox product
| title = Calpis
| image = Calpis_karupisu.JPG
| image_size = 250
| alt = Bottle of Calpis Water
| caption = A bottle of Calpis Water
| type = [[Concentrate]]
| inventor = Kaiun Mishima
| inception = 1919
| manufacturer = Calpis Co., Ltd.
| website = {{url|calpis.info}}
}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Calpis Co., Ltd.
| native_name = カルピス株式会社
| native_name_lang = ja
| romanized_name = Karupisu Kabushiki-gaisha
| logo = [[File:CALPIS logo.svg|200px]]
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| industry = [[Soft drink]]s
| founded = {{start date and age|1916|04}}
| founder = Kaiun Mishima
| hq_location_city = [[Shibuya, Tokyo|Shibuya]], [[Tokyo]]
| hq_location_country = [[Japan]]
| parent = [[Asahi Breweries]]
| website = {{URL|calpis.info}}
}}

{{nihongo|'''Calpis'''|カルピス|Karupisu}}, sold in North America as '''Calpico''', is a Japanese non-carbonated [[soft drink]] manufactured by {{nihongo|'''Calpis Co., Ltd.'''|カルピス株式会社|Karupisu Kabushiki-gaisha}}, a subsidiary of [[Asahi Breweries]] headquartered in [[Shibuya]], [[Tokyo]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.calpis.net/corporate/outline/com_info/index.html |title=Company Outline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205031901/http://www.calpis.net/corporate/outline/com_info/index.html |archive-date=2010-02-05 |work=Calpis Co., Ltd. |access-date=12 February 2010}}</ref> The beverage has a light, somewhat [[milk]]y, and slightly [[acid]]ic flavour, similar to plain or [[vanilla]]-flavoured [[yogurt]] or [[Yakult]]. Its ingredients include [[water]], [[powdered milk|dry milk]], and [[lactic acid]], and it is produced by [[lactic acid fermentation]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Asahi Soft Drinks Brand page |url=https://www.asahisoftdrinks.com/brand/calpis/ |publisher=Asahi Soft Drinks Co., LTD. |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref>

The drink is sold as a [[concentrate]], which is mixed with water or sometimes milk just before consumption. A pre-diluted version known as {{nihongo|'''Calpis Water'''|カルピスウォーター|Karupisu Wōtā}}, or its carbonated variety, known as {{nihongo|'''Calpis Soda'''|カルピスソーダ|Karupisu Sōda}}, is also available. It is also used to flavour [[kakigōri]] and as a mixer for [[cocktail]]s and [[chūhai]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

==History==
[[File:KaiunMishima.jpg|thumb|324x324px|Kaiun Mishima, the original creator of Calpis]]
The founder of Calpis, {{Interlanguage link|Kaiun Mishima|lt=|ja|三島海雲}}, travelled to [[Inner Mongolia]] in 1902, encountering a traditional cultured milk product known as [[kumis|airag]] (called kumis throughout most of Central Asia). The active ingredient in airag, responsible for its unique flavour, is lactic acid produced by lactobacilli bacteria. After the airag he consumed helped return his digestion to normal, Mishima was inspired to develop his own version.

Daigomi, launched in 1916, was made by culturing cream with lactic acid bacteria. However, it was discontinued because of two major flaws: the amount of cream extracted from milk was inadequate for mass production, and there was a surplus of [[skimmed milk]] created as a [[by-product]]. Afterwards, Mishima created Daigoso by culturing skimmed milk with lactic acid bacteria. However, the product was also discontinued because of poor sales. His last unsuccessful attempt was Lacto Caramel, a product that contained live lactic acid bacteria. It was discontinued because the product melted during the summer.<ref name="Story">{{cite web |title=COMZINE Article |url=https://www.nttcom.co.jp/comzine/no002/long_seller/index.html |access-date=9 December 2022 |publisher=NTT COMWARE CORPORATION}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.asahigroup-holdings.com/en/brand/calpis/|title=Asahi Group Brand page |publisher=ASAHI GROUP HOLDINGS, LTD. |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref>

Calpis was created by chance when Mishima added sugar to Daigoso and left it overnight. It was officially released on July 7, 1919, at the price of [[Japanese yen|¥]]1.60 per bottle.<ref name="Story" /> Diluting Calpis with water proved to be economical, quickly garnering popularity with customers, along with the catchphrase "the taste of first love".<ref name="News">{{cite web |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2252809023|date=7 July 2019 |title=Beloved Japanese Lactic Drink Calpis Turns 100. |publisher=Jiji Press English News Service |access-date=9 December 2022|id={{ProQuest|2252809023}} }}</ref> Calpis initially had the image of being a special drink, being reserved for special occasions or gifts; it was only around 1965 that it began to be treated as a normal beverage in ordinary households.<ref name="Story" />

Orange-flavoured Calpis was released in 1958, with pineapple- and grape-flavoured versions following two years later. A carbonated version called Calpis Soda was also released in 1974.<ref name="History">{{cite web |title=「カルピス」の歴史 |url=https://www.asahiinryo.co.jp/entertainment/history/calpis/history01.html |access-date=9 December 2022 |publisher=ASAHI SOFT DRINKS CO., LTD. |archive-date=8 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208061944/https://www.asahiinryo.co.jp/entertainment/history/calpis/history01.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1973, sales plummeted after the price was raised.<ref name="News" /> Within the first year of its initial release in 1991, 20.5 million cases of pre-diluted Calpis Water had been sold. It was also around this time that the company moved towards the use of [[Juicebox (container)|paper]] containers and [[Plastic bottle|plastic bottles]].<ref name="History" />

=== Name ===
The first two iterations of what would become Calpis, ''Daigomi'' and ''Daigoso'', were named after {{nihongo|2=醍醐|3=[[wikt:daigo|daigo]]}}, the Japanese word for [[sarpir-maṇḍa]], regarded as the greatest of all flavours in [[Buddhism]]. Mishima wanted to do the same for Calpis and initially named it ''Calpir'', a [[portmanteau]] of ''cal'' from [[calcium]] and ''pir'' from sarpir-maṇḍa. However, after consulting musician [[Kōsaku Yamada]] and Buddhist priest Kaigyoku Watanabe, Mishima chose ''pis'' from the [[Sanskrit]] ''sarpiṣ'' instead.<ref name="History" />

Primarily in North America, the name Calpico is used in place of Calpis to avoid associations with "[[wikt:piss#Noun|piss]]", an English [[slang]] word for [[urine]] (though the "カルピス" in [[katakana]] remains on the packaging).{{CN|date=January 2025}}

==Packaging==
[[File:Still Life with Calpis Wrapping Paper by Nakamura Tsune (MOMA Ibaraki).jpg|thumb|upright|''Still life with Calpis wrapping paper'' (1923), by [[Nakamura Tsune]]; launched on the day of the [[Tanabata|Star Festival]] in 1919, the white dots on a blue background represent stars in the Milky Way<ref name="Story" />|left]]
The [[polka dot]] packaging used to consist of white dots against a blue background until the colours were inverted in 1953. The design was intended to represent the [[Milky Way]], in reference to the Japanese [[Tanabata]] festival.<ref name="History" />

In 1919, Calpis held an international poster exhibition in collaboration with the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]. The contest was held to provide aid to struggling European painters due to [[inflation]] caused by World War I.<ref name="Story" /> After German painter Otto Dünkelsbühler won 3rd place, Calpis began using a new logo in 1923 based on his design. It featured an illustration of a [[Black people|black]] man with large lips and a [[Panama hat]] drinking from a glass using a straw. As the logo came to be [[Racism in Japan|considered offensive]], the black and white were first reversed, and then the logo was subsequently dropped altogether in January 1990. The complaint was initially filed by 12-year-old Futoshi Arita, a member of [[The Association to Stop Racism Against Blacks]].<ref>{{cite web |date=20 May 2019 |title=カルピスで黒人のキャラクターのマークはなぜ差別になったの？排除された不可解な理由 |url=https://everyday-life365.com/calpis-2 |access-date=9 December 2022 |website=everyday-life365.com}}</ref>
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==See also==
{{Portal|Japan|Companies|Drink}}
*[[Actimel]]
*[[Fermented milk products]]
*[[List of fermented foods]]
*[[Milkis]]
*[[Pocari Sweat]]
*[[Wahaha Joint Venture Company|Wahaha]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Calpis}}
* [https://www.calpis.net/ Calpis official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/*/www.calpis.co.jp/english/ Calpis Official website ] (Archive)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150624193303/http://www.asahigroup-holdings.com/en/company/group_company/ Asahi Group Company Listings ]

{{Japanese food and drink}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Asahi brands]]
[[Category:Japanese drink brands]]
[[Category:Soft drinks]]
[[Category:Drink companies of Japan]]
[[Category:Japanese companies established in 1919]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies based in Tokyo]]