Irn-Bru facts for kids
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Sugar Free Irn-Bru in a glass, with the associated silver Sugar Free variant can
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| Type | Fizzy soft drink |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | A.G. Barr plc |
| Country of origin | Scotland |
| Region of origin | Glasgow and Falkirk |
| Introduced | 1889 (as Iron Brew) 1899 (test launch) 1901 (officially) 2018 (new recipe) |
| Discontinued |
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| Colour | Orange |
| Ingredients |
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| Variants |
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Irn-Bru (pronounced "iron brew") is a popular Scottish fizzy soft drink. Many people call it "Scotland's other national drink," after Scotch whisky. This unique orange drink was first introduced in 1901. It is made in Westfield, Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, by a company called A.G. Barr from Glasgow.
Irn-Bru is sold all over the United Kingdom. You can also find it in many other countries, especially where Scottish people live. The brand even has its own special tartan pattern! For over 100 years, Irn-Bru has been the best-selling soft drink in Scotland, even beating big global brands like Coca-Cola.
The drink was first called "Iron Brew." But in 1946, the law changed. It said that product names had to be "literally true." Since the drink didn't contain much iron and wasn't actually brewed, the company changed the name to "Irn-Bru." This new name helped them protect their brand. Irn-Bru is so popular that it reportedly sells 20 cans every second in Scotland!
In 2014, Irn-Bru faced a temporary ban in Canada because of some of its ingredients. However, the Government of Canada later clarified that Irn-Bru is allowed to be sold there. It continues to be available in Canadian stores today.
Contents
What is Irn-Bru?
Its Look and Taste
Irn-Bru is famous for its bright orange colour and special flavour. It contains a mix of ingredients, including sugar, caffeine, and quinine. It also has two colourings called Sunset Yellow FCF and Ponceau 4R. In 2010, A.G. Barr agreed to a voluntary ban on these colourings, but they are still used in the drink as of 2021.
How Irn-Bru Began
The first "Iron Brew" drink was made in New York in 1889. It became popular in North America, and many companies copied it. In the UK, a company called Stevenson & Howell started selling a similar drink in 1898. Many local bottlers then began making their own versions.
Even though Barr's officially launched their "Iron Brew" in 1901, they had actually started selling it earlier. Documents show that their drink was already selling well by May 1899. Barr's used a strongman image on their labels, which was a trademark of Stevenson & Howell.
The Name Change
Barr's applied for the "Irn-Bru" trademark in 1946. They started selling the drink with this new name in 1948. The name change happened because of new rules about product labels. These rules stopped companies from making false health claims. The new name also helped Barr's create a unique brand identity. This was important because "Iron Brew" had become a general name for many similar drinks.
Irn-Bru's Popularity and New Types
Growing Sales and New Flavours
In 1980, a "Low Calorie Irn-Bru" was introduced. It was later renamed "Diet Irn-Bru" in 1991 and then "Irn-Bru Sugar Free" in 2011. In 2006, they launched Irn-Bru 32, which was an energy drink.
Irn-Bru has been Scotland's favourite soft drink for a long time. It even outsells big names like Coca-Cola and Pepsi in Scotland. It's also one of the top-selling soft drinks in the whole UK. This success has made many wonder if bigger companies might try to buy A.G. Barr.
Irn-Bru's old advertising slogans were "Scotland's other National Drink" (referring to whisky) and "Made in Scotland from girders." The "girders" slogan was a funny way to talk about the drink's rusty colour.
In 2011, a special limited edition called "Fiery Irn-Bru" was released. It had the classic Irn-Bru taste but with a ginger-like aftertaste.
For many years, Irn-Bru was sold in reusable glass bottles. You could return these bottles to the shop and get a small amount of money back. This was a popular scheme, but it ended in 2016 because fewer people were returning the bottles.
New Look and Recipe Changes
In 2016, Irn-Bru got a new logo that looked strong and industrial. They also launched a new sugar-free version called "Irn-Bru Xtra."
In 2018, Barr changed the recipe of Irn-Bru. They reduced the sugar content to avoid a new sugar tax in the UK. Many fans were upset and tried to stop the change, but it went ahead. The company said most people wouldn't notice the difference in taste.
In 2019, Barr launched "Irn-Bru Energy," a new energy drink. Later that year, they also released "Irn-Bru 1901," which used the original recipe from 1901 for a limited time.
Recent News
In March 2021, "IRN-BRU 1901" became a permanent part of the Irn-Bru range.
Irn-Bru was the only soft drink sold at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. Many people at the conference, including US politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, tried it. She said she loved it and that it tasted like a Latino soda called Kola Champagne.
Where Irn-Bru is Made
Irn-Bru is made in Westfield, Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. The company moved its main production there in the mid-2000s from its old factory in Parkhead, Glasgow. Another factory is in Sheffield, England.
How Irn-Bru is Advertised
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Barr's has always promoted Irn-Bru actively. Early ads featured famous wrestlers and athletes who said they liked the drink. In the 1930s, they started a long-running comic strip ad series called "The Adventures of Ba-Bru."
Barr's often links Irn-Bru with Scottishness. The slogan "Made in Scotland from girders" was used for many years. These ads often showed people becoming super strong or magnetic after drinking Irn-Bru.
In 2000, a new ad campaign started. One ad showed a grandfather taking out his false teeth to stop his grandson from drinking his Irn-Bru. Another showed an elderly person in a wheelchair stealing Irn-Bru from a shop.
In 2006, the company launched its first Christmas adverts. One was a funny version of the popular Christmas cartoon, The Snowman. A sequel to this ad came out in 2018.
In 2009, an ad showed high school students singing "It's fizzy, it's ginger, it's phenomenal!" This was a parody of High School Musical. In 2012, the slogan changed to "gets you through," showing people drinking Irn-Bru to help them in tough situations.
Barr also made special Irn-Bru bottles with Scottish names like 'Fanny', 'Senga', 'Rab', and 'Tam' on the labels. This was similar to a Coca-Cola campaign.
Some Irn-Bru adverts have caused discussion. One ad from 2000 showed a family singing, and the mother sang, "...even though I used to be a man." This ad was later taken off air because some found it offensive. Another ad in 2003 showed a midwife trying to get a baby out of its mother's womb, which some found upsetting. Other ads that caused complaints included one with a woman in a bikini and another with a cow.
Different Types of Irn-Bru
| Name | Launched |
|---|---|
| Irn-Bru | 1901 |
| Irn-Bru Sugar Free formerly Diet Irn-Bru (1991–2011) | 1991 |
| Irn-Bru XS | 1995 |
| Irn-Bru 32 | 2006 |
| Fiery Irn-Bru | 2011 |
| Irn-Bru XTRA | 2016 |
| Irn-Bru Energy | 2019 |
| Irn-Bru Energy Sugar Free | 2019 |
| Irn-Bru Crimbo Juice | 2019 |
| Irn-Bru 1901 | 2019 |
McCowan's used to make Irn-Bru Bars, which were chewy, fizzy, orange sweets that tasted like Irn-Bru. You can also find Irn-Bru sorbet in some ice cream shops in Scotland.
Irn-Bru can be mixed with alcoholic drinks like vodka and whisky. Barr once launched a drink that mixed Irn-Bru and Bell's whisky, but it wasn't very popular and was stopped.
Irn-Bru Around the World
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Irn-Bru is made under a special agreement in Russia by the Moscow Brewing Company. Barr also sends its products to Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, and Cyprus. You can also find it in parts of Africa, Asia, and the Republic of Ireland. It's available in Malta, Belgium, Poland, and Iceland too.
Australia
In Australia, Irn-Bru was made and sold by Occasio Australia until 2009. It was available in different bottle sizes. After 2009, it started to be imported directly from the UK. Now, you can find it in the international sections of big supermarkets.
Canada
For a while, Irn-Bru sold in Canada didn't have caffeine. But in 2010, the rules changed, and now Irn-Bru bottles in Canada say "Now Contains caffeine." Irn-Bru in Canada is sent from Scotland and sold in supermarkets like Sobeys and Walmart.
A company in Canada called McKinlay used to make its own non-licensed drink called "Irn-Bru" and later "Cape Breton's Irn-Bru." It was a brown fizzy drink with a fruity cola taste.
Middle East
Irn-Bru is available in many countries in the Middle East, especially in LuLu supermarkets.
Norway
Irn-Bru entered the Norwegian market in 2008 but left in 2009 due to production and marketing issues. There was also a misunderstanding where a football team, Mjøndalen IF, thought they were sponsored by Irn-Bru, but it turned out to be a fraud.
Russia
Irn-Bru started selling in Russia in 1997. By 2002, it was the third best-selling soft drink there. Its popularity was thought to be because it tasted similar to some old Soviet-era soft drinks. However, in March 2022, AG Barr stopped selling Irn-Bru in Russia due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Spain
Irn-Bru has been sold in Spain since the 1980s, mainly for the many British people living there. You can find it in popular tourist areas like the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. Spain is one of the top 10 markets for Irn-Bru outside the UK.
United States
Since 2002, Irn-Bru sold in the United States has been made to follow US food colouring rules. One colouring used in the UK is not allowed in the US, so Barr uses different ones. Irn-Bru for the US market is imported by Great Scot International in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Other Iron Brew Drinks
- Rivets was an iron brew drink launched in 1994 by Meri-Mate Ltd in Dundee. It was made to compete with Irn-Bru.
- Highland Brew was launched in 2000 by the Natural Fruit and Beverage Company.
- Many supermarkets like Aldi, Asda, and Lidl sell their own versions of Iron Brew.
See also
In Spanish: Irn-Bru para niños
- Iron Brew – a similar soft drink from South Africa
- List of brand name soft drinks products
- List of soft drink flavors
- List of soft drink producers
- List of soft drinks by country
