The story of Inca Cola: The soda that beat Coca Cola ¿Or did it?

The story of Inca Cola is an example of success, but also how large corporations eventually absorb that triumph.

In this sense, everyone talks about Inca Cola, which managed to bring the giant Coca-Cola to its knees.

The story of Inca Cola begins with a migrant family; Joseph Robinson Lindley was born in Doncaster, Yorkshire, in 1859, married Martha Stoppanie, and at the age of 51, decided to settle in Peru, specifically in Rimac.

There, he founded the Fábrica de Aguas Gaseosas de la Santa Rosa with the aim of producing and marketing beverages, later initiating the history of Inca Cola.

Initially, the production was very artisanal and achieved some success with brands like Lemon Squash, Orange Squash, Uvital, and Lindley Dry.

But the real star of its portfolio would only arrive in 1935. That year, Inca Kola was launched, an artificially colored yellow soda that sought to pay tribute to Inca culture and the country that had welcomed this British family.

“The secret is that the flavor cannot be identified. It is yellow for Peru’s gold, but the taste cannot be deciphered.

Whether you like it or not is another matter,” explained Johnny Lindley, Joseph’s grandson, in a 2010 interview with El Comercio.

To create it, they say, the company’s founder experimented with 13 herbs until he found the desired flavor. The recipe, of course, is a secret.

Isaac Lindley, one of the sons of the couple, took over the company in 1945. Shortly after taking office, he made some changes that would increase the brand’s popularity.

And, of course, the story of Inca Cola, like big brands, is related to its slogan; first, it included one of its most remembered slogans on its label: “There is only one, and it is like no other.”

Later, it signed agreements with various bottlers to produce Inca Kola with a concentrate they sold, thus expanding throughout the country.

By that time, the company already led the soda market in Peru. However, on the other side, it faced tough competition.

Coca-Cola had established itself there in 1936, and this was compounded by the launch of Pepsi-Cola. So, Lindley began using the company’s profits to develop the industrial part of the factory, in addition to investing in advertising.

For decades, the giant of red-label cola tried unsuccessfully to decipher how to beat that yellow beverage.

After Isaac Lindley’s death in 1989, his son Johnny Lindley Suárez took over the presidency.

The story of Inca Cola

Inca Kola continued to lead the segment until 1996 when Coca-Cola ended the fight and opened its wallet.

The owner of Inca Cola was willing to negotiate. It took three years of talks to reach an agreement with the family.

In the meantime, the Lindleys conducted surveys among Peruvian consumers to find out how they would react to an association with Coca-Cola.

Finally, in February 1999, the official announcement was made. The multinational acquired 49% of the shares of the Peruvian company.

According to reports, the operation was speculated to be around $200 million.

The agreement stipulated that Inca Kola would become the sole official bottler of Coca-Cola in Peru, while the American company would be responsible for internationalizing the Inca beverage.

“The king of the world asked us to be partners, and this has not been repeated,” summarized Johnny Lindley. And he detailed: “Inca Kola was our inherited asset, and we thought, who could keep it safe for a lifetime? Coca-Cola, which has the world’s number one drink. We achieved it.”

However, the expansion of the Peruvian brand to other countries could not replicate the success of its homeland.

In Peru, they claim that this is because its flavor pairs perfectly with the typical dishes of its gastronomy.

In October 2015, the Lindley family divested a significant portion of the remaining share capital of the company founded in 1910.

The Mexican company Arca Continental bought 47.52% of the shares for $760 million. Today, Inca Kola continues as the flagship of the company in the Peruvian market.

In addition to its regular version, there is a sugar-free version and the energizing Power. Describing the taste is not easy; the success of Inca Kola lies in its secret formula, which many claim tastes like gum or candy.”

Also read: Juan Valdez: The Brand of Colombian Coffee.