Robinsons is a British fruit drink brand, now owned by Britvic plc, that has been operating for over 200 years, predominantly offering fruit cordials (known as squash in British English). The Robinsons range includes Squash, Fruit Shoot, Barley Water and Fruit Creations.
 | |
| Product type | Drink |
|---|---|
| Owner | Britvic |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Introduced | 1935 |
| Previous owners | Reckitt & Colman (until 1995) |
| Tagline | Real Fruit in Every Drop |
| Website | www |
Robinsons sales for 2022 (across all its ranges) totalled nearly £200 million and is was assessed that half of British households bought their products, with more than 9 million glasses of their drink consumed daily [1]
History
The company was founded in 1823 by George Robinson and Alexander Belville as Robinson and Belville Ltd, originally as a shipping and trading company but also which manufactured Patent Barley and Groats. As an 11-year-old Mary Ann Robinson, began to sell homemade fruit juices from her family's farm in Droylsden, Greater Manchester. George Robinson left the business in 1859 and Mary-Ann, who later married James Nichols, continued to develop the business over the next few decades. Matthias Robinson, discovered the use of barley crystals and initially began producing barley water as a health drink. This original product quickly gained popularity and became known for its refreshing taste and purported health benefits. [2]. Throughout the years, Robinsons expanded its product line to include a wide variety of drinks, catering to different tastes and preferences. Robinsons Squash was created by Fred Robinson in the 1930s, who developed a way to make fruit squash using freshly squeezed fruit juices; its introduction to the market marked a significant milestone for the brand, as it became a household name and an iconic part of British culture.
Historical Timeline
- 1862, Robinson & Belville Ltd amalgamated with Keen & Sons to become Keen Robinson & Company.
- 1903, Keen Robinson & Company was acquired by J & J Colman, the mustard producer based in Norwich. Colman's merged with Reckitt & Sons in 1938, becoming Reckitt & Colman. In 1925 the Company moved production to Carrow near Norwich, where it produced its products until 2019.
- 1930 Mr Eric Smedley Hodgson developed a drink combining Robinsons' patent barley crystals with real lemon juice and sugar, which became Lemon Barley Water and was marketed with its association with the Wimbledon Tennis Championships from 1935 onwards.
- 1955, Robinsons was appointed with a Royal Warrant by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as supplier of soft drinks to the British Royal household.
- 1984, the company was acquired by Cadbury Schweppes but later sold to Britvic as part of a strategic restructure to focus on core confectionary and beverage brands.
- 1995, Britvic Soft Drinks Limited, a leading UK soft drinks company, was formed from the merger of Britvic and Robinsons Foods Ltd.
- 2000, Fruit Shoot launched [3]
- 2015, Robinsons removed all 'added sugars' from its squash product ranges.
- 2023, Robinsons conducted a comprehensive rebranding of its product range to appeal to modern families. [4]
- 2024, Carlsberg agrees to acquire Britvic in a £3.3 billion take over. [5]
Wimbledon
Robinsons has a long-standing association with the Wimbledon tennis tournament. The partnership between Robinsons and Wimbledon dates back to 1935. Robinsons became the official supplier of soft drinks for the tournament, with their Robinsons Barley Water becoming a beloved staple at Wimbledon. The drink was originally introduced to provide hydration to players during matches. Over the years, Robinsons' presence at Wimbledon grew, with their branding prominently displayed throughout the event. After 86 years, the official sponsorship between Robinsons and Wimbledon ended in 2022[6]. The decision was made by the All England Lawn Tennis Club, which organizes the tournament, as they sought to explore new opportunities and partnerships for the event. Despite this change, Robinsons' legacy at Wimbledon remains ingrained in the tournament's history as their Barley Water continues to be associated with the traditions and heritage of this iconic tennis championship.
Products
Robinsons Squash Range
Robinsons Squash is a brand of fruit cordial made from a concentrated syrup typically mixed with water and one of the flagship products offered by Robinsons. It is available in single and double concentrate forms, allowing consumers to customise their drink's strength according to personal preference. As of July 2024, the Robinsons squash range has a selection of flavours, including:
- Orange Squash - Single Concentrate & Double Concentrate
- Apple & Blackcurrant Squash - Single Concentrate & Double Concentrate
- Orange & Pineapple Squash - Single Concentrate & Double Concentrate
- Summer Fruits Squash - Single Concentrate & Double Concentrate
- Lemon Squash - Single Concentrate
- Blackcurrant Squash - Double Concentrate
Barley Water Range
- Lemon Barley Water
- Orange Barley Water
- Fruit & Barley - Summer Fruits
- Fruit & Barley - Orange
- Fruit & Barley - Peach
- Fruit & Barley - Pink Grapefruit
- Fruit & Barley - Apple & Pear
Real Fruit Range
Real Fruit is squash product that contains a higher percentage of real fruit juices.
- Real Fruit: Orange - Single Concentrate & Double Concentrate
- Real Fruit: Lemon - Single Concentrate & Double Concentrate
- Real Fruit: Apple & Blackcurrant - Single Concentrate
- Real Fruit: Summer Fruits - Single Concentrate
For the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Strawberry and Cream Squash was added to the range as a Limited Edition.
Fruit Creations Range
In January 2018, Robinsons launched their Fruit Creations range, specifically targeting adults.[7]
- Fruit Creations: Peach & Raspberry
- Fruit Creations: Orange & Mango
- Fruit Creations: Pineapple, Mango & Passion Fruit
- Fruit Creations: Strawberry & Watermelon
- Fruit Creations: Blackberry & Blueberry
- Fruit Creations: Lemon & Raspberry
- Fruit Creations: Apple & Rhubarb
Fruit Cordial Range
These are higher-end cordials aimed at adult markets sold in 500ml bottles:
- Crushed Lime & Mint Cordial
- Elderflower Cordial
- Raspberry, Rhubarb and Orange Blossom Cordial
- Ginger & Orange Cordial
Mini Range
Robinsons offers a range of super-high concentrated, no-added sugar, 66ml mini squash products under the names of Mini and Squash'd (a Real Fruit version). These include:
- Mini - Orange
- Mini - Lemon & Lime
- Mini - Passion Fruit & Mango
- Mini - Apple & Blackcurrant
- Mini - Summer Fruits
- Squash'd - Orange
- Squash'd - Lemon & Lime
- Squash'd - Summer Fruits
- Squash'd - Passion Fruit & Mango
- Squash'd - Apple & Blackcurrant
Health Benefit Range
A range of squash with health benefits is available under names such as Vitality, Boost, Focus and Immunity. These are available in full size single concentrate and mini super-high concentrate versions:
- Boost - Raspberry Strawberry & Acai
- Vitality - Peach, Mango and Passionfruit
- Immunity - Orange & Guava
- Focus - Lemon, Lime & Ginseng
Ready to Drink
Robinson Ready to Drink are 500ml bottles of their squash, ready diluted and mixed with water for immediate consumption:
- Ready to Drink - Raspberry & Apple
- Ready to Drink - Peach & Mango
- Ready to Drink - Blackberry & Blueberry
Fruit Shoot Range
Robinsons Fruit Shoot is a brand of fruit drink designed to appeal to children. They have no artificial colours, flavourings or added sugar and contain multi-vitamins. The drinks are promoted as a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks, and are offered as one of the drinks option for McDonald's Happy Meals and KFC 'Kids Meals'; this has been cited in representations to the UK Parliament on Britvic's healthier eating initiatives. Fruit Shoots were described by Britvic as a "high juice, no added sugar drink"[8] (the juice content is only 8%).[9] The regular Fruit Shoot range with the green top was once a full sugar product which did not contain aspartame. Since 2014, Fruit Shoot with the green top has no added sugar while still containing no aspartame.
The core Fruit Shoot range includes:
- Apple & Blackcurrant
- Orange
- Summer Fruits
- Apple
There is also a range of zero sugar clear water drinks naturally flavoured with fruit marketed under the Fruit Shoot Hydro name:
- Hydro Blackcurrant
- Hydro Apple & Raspberry
- Hydro Orange & Pineapple
Although the Hydro range has no added sugar, it does contain aspartame as well as potassium sorbate (a preservative) and sodium citrate, plus natural colourings and malic acid. It is sold in a sports-style bottle.[10] In 2012, Britvic recalled packs featuring the 'spill proof Magicap' design due to concerns over packaging safety.[11]
References
- ^ https://www.marketingweek.com/robinsons-rebrand-marketing-push/
- ^ https://robinsonssquash.co.uk/good-to-know/history/
- ^ https://www.britvic.com/about-us/our-history/
- ^ https://www.marketingweek.com/robinsons-rebrand-marketing-push/
- ^ https://www.bromsgroveadvertiser.co.uk/news/national/24436371.carlsberg-agrees-3-3bn-takeover-robinsons-maker-britvic/
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61926014#:~:text=The%20soft%20drink%20company%20confirmed,the%20steps%20of%20umpires'%20seats.
- ^ "Robinsons and Saatchi & Saatchi London launch Fruit Creations campaign". Britvic. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ "House of Commons - Minutes of Evidence". publications.parliament.uk.
- ^ "Fruit Shoot". fruitshoot.com.
- ^ "www.britvic.com, best-selling children's ready-to-drink still beverage in the UK". Archived from the original on 12 March 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
- ^ "Britvic Recalls Robinsons Fruit Shoot Amid Safety Concerns". Packaging International. 3 July 2012. Archived from the original on 7 August 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
External links
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