Editing Mecca-Cola

{{Short description|Cola-flavoured carbonated beverage}}
{{update|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox Beverage
|name=Mecca-Cola
|image=<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Mecca-Cola.jpg]] -->
|logo=[[File:MeccaColaLogo.png]]
|type=[[Cola]]
|manufacturer=Mecca Cola World Company
|website=https://meccacolagroup.com/
|origin=[[France]]
|introduced={{start date and age|2002|11}}
|discontinued= 
|related=[[Coca-Cola]], [[Zamzam Cola]], [[Qibla Cola]]
|variants= 
}}
'''Mecca-Cola''' is a [[cola|cola-flavoured]] [[soft drink|carbonated beverage]]. The [[Core product|flagship product]] of the Mecca Cola World Company, it is marketed as an alternative to [[United States|U.S.]] brands such as [[Coca-Cola]] and [[Pepsi-Cola]] to "pro-Muslim" consumers. The product's name contains the traditional [[Latin alphabet|Latin-alphabet]] transliteration of ''مكة'', "[[Mecca]]" in Saudi Arabia.

==Details==
Mecca-Cola was launched in [[France]], in November 2002,<ref name=bbc-20030108>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2640259.stm |title=Mecca Cola challenges US rival |author=Verity Murphy |publisher=BBC |date=8 January 2003 |access-date=27 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="Luxury">{{cite book | title=Luxury Brand Management | publisher=John Wiley & Sons | author=Chevalier, Michel | year=2012 | location=Singapore | isbn=978-1-118-17176-9}}</ref> by Tawfik Mathlouthi as a means of aiding [[Palestinians]] by tapping into demand for alternative products in [[Europe]]an countries. He had been inspired by a popular [[Iran]]ian soft drink, [[Zamzam (soft drink)|Zamzam Cola]] and only decided to launch his own brand when he was unable to agree on terms for a distribution contract with Zamzam,<ref>[http://www.islamonline.net/english/news/2003-02/04/article04.shtml] ''BBC News''</ref> as well as providing an alternative for his sons instead of Coca-Cola.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Tagliabue|first=John|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/31/world/they-choke-on-coke-but-savor-mecca-cola.html|title=They Choke On Coke, But Savor Mecca-Cola|date=2002-12-31|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-03-31|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

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]], [[United Kingdom|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]] [[Zakat|charity precept]], to support charities, and in particular to help the [[Palestinian people]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928041147/http://www.mecca-cola.com/en/index.php] Mecca-Cola corporate website as of 2007/06/20</ref> 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.<ref name="Luxury"/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070620152808/http://www.mecca-cola.com/en/assosiation.php] Mecca-Cola website as of 2007/06/20</ref> 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 &ndash; and Mecca-Cola the official drink of &ndash; the October 2003 Summit of the [[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/mecca-banned-for-use-as-brand-name-by-top-courts |title='Mecca' banned for use as brand name by top courts |author=Haneen Dajani |publisher=The National |date=14 February 2012 |access-date=27 January 2014}}</ref>

In 2015, Mecca Cola dissolved operations in many countries including India and the UK. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/company/mecca-cola-beverages-private-limited/U15540GJ2005PTC045777|title=Mecca-cola Beverages Private Limited Information - Mecca-cola Beverages Private Limited Company Profile, Mecca-cola Beverages Private Limited News on the Economic Times }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://companycheck.co.uk/company/04798073/MECCA-COLA-LIMITED/companies-house-data|title=MECCA COLA LIMITED. Free business summary taken from official companies house information. Free alerts. Registered as 04798073 }}</ref>

== International distribution ==

By 2008 Mecca Cola was distributed in 64 countries across the world.<ref name="Bangkok's Independent Newspaper">[http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/01/21/business/business_30062839.php Bangkok's Independent Newspaper<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215060014/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/01/21/business/business_30062839.php |date=2008-02-15 }}</ref> Distribution in each country started on a unique date. A partial list of countries where it is distributed is as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Country
! Date launched
! Notes
|-
| [[France]]
| November 2002
| The company originally started in [[France]]<ref name="Luxury"/> before moving to [[Dubai]]. It is also the company's top market. However, it only holds 1.7% of the market share.<ref name="Bangkok's Independent Newspaper"/>
|-
| [[Pakistan]]<ref>[http://www.pakp.com/2003/11/mecca-cola-launched-in-pakistan.html pakistani perspective: Mecca Cola launched in Pakistan - PakTribune<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021054255/http://www.pakp.com/2003/11/mecca-cola-launched-in-pakistan.html |date=2006-10-21 }}</ref>
| November 2003
| In the company's top 5 markets
|-
| [[Malaysia]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cengage.com/|title=Cengage Learning|website=www.cengage.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-07}}</ref>
| October 2003
| In the company's top 5 markets
|-
| [[Yemen]]<ref>[http://www.yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=636&p=local&a=11 Mecca Cola introduced to the Yemeni market – Yemen Times<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228114340/http://www.yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=636&p=local&a=11 |date=2008-02-28 }}</ref>
| June 2003
| In the company's top 5 markets, holding 22% of market shares
|-
| [[Algeria]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/|title=Arab News|website=Arab News|language=en|access-date=2019-06-07}}</ref>
| August 2003
| In the company's top 5 markets, holding 19% of market shares
|-
| [[Saudi Arabia]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.just-drinks.com/news/mecca-cola-to-launch-in-middle-east_id71209.aspx|title=FRANCE: Mecca Cola to launch in Middle East|date=2003-01-20|website=www.just-drinks.com|access-date=2019-06-07}}</ref>
| February 2003
| All products are distributed through an $80 million plant set up here
|-
| [[UAE]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.itp.net/494277|title=Road to Mecca|website=ITP.net|access-date=2019-06-07}}</ref>
| April 2003
| The company is currently headquartered here.
|-
| [[Oman]]<ref name="Mecca-Cola - BetterCuisine">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bettercuisine.org/topics/Mecca-Cola|title=Mecca-Cola - BetterCuisine|date=2007-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219205540/http://www.bettercuisine.org/topics/Mecca-Cola|access-date=2019-06-07|archive-date=2007-12-19}}</ref>
| 2003
| 
|-
| [[Qatar]]<ref name="Mecca-Cola - BetterCuisine"/>
| 2003
|
|-
| [[Kuwait]]<ref name="Mecca-Cola - BetterCuisine"/>
| 2003
|
|-
| [[Iraq]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030423160940/http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/apr2003/nf20030417_5930_db039.htm BW Online | April 17, 2003 | After Iraq, Cola Wars Heat Up<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
| April 2003
|
|-
| [[Lebanon]]<ref>[http://www.earthisland.org/project/newsPage2.cfm?newsID=348&pageID=177&subSiteID=44 THE-EDGE: News<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714070103/http://www.earthisland.org/project/newsPage2.cfm?newsID=348&pageID=177&subSiteID=44 |date=2007-07-14 }}</ref>
| February 2003
| 
|-
| [[Jordan]]<ref name="Mecca-Cola - BetterCuisine"/>
| 2003
|
|-
| [[Syria]]<ref name="Mecca-Cola - BetterCuisine"/>
| 2003
|
|-
| [[India]]<ref>[http://in.rediff.com/money/2004/may/04cola.htm Mecca Cola launched; Gujarat may be hub<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
| March 2004
| Launched first in [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], then in [[Gujarat]].
|-
| [[Bangladesh]]<ref>[http://archive.wn.com/2005/05/11/1400/meccatoday/ Mecca Today<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
| May 2005
| 
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{official|http://mecca-cola.com/}}

{{Colas}}

[[Category:Cola brands]]
[[Category:Drink companies of France]]
[[Category:Food and drink introduced in 2002]]
[[Category:Soft drinks]]