You may have seen these vibrant and colorful soda-filled glass bottles at your local taqueria or bodega. If you have yet to give Jarritos a try, maybe this article will convince you. There’s a whole wide world of unique and fruity beverages out there. And, Jarritos tops the list.
What are Jarritos?
Jarritos (meaning ‘little jars or jugs’) are a brand of popular soft drink in Mexico. Jarritos definitely stand out on the grocery store shelf with their brightly colored liquids and clear glass bottles. Each color represents a different flavor; manadrin orange, strawberry, lime, tamarind, guava, grapefruit, fruit punch, pineapple, jamaica (hibiscus), mango, watermelon, and passion fruit. A mix of tropical and popular Latin American produce influences each of these festive flavors. Jarritos have a little less carbonation than their stateside soda competitors, making them less fizzy. Other noticeable differences are that Jarritos do not contain caffeine and are sweetened using pure cane sugar (instead of the high fructose corn syrup found in sodas from the US).
Brief History of Jarritos
Jarritos was created in Guadalajara, Mexico in the 1950s. The founder, Don Fransico Hill, created a naturally flavored soda (the first flavor being coffee) and found middling success. Once Don Fransico Hill began expanding his sodas to include flavors with more mass-appeal, the company grew exponentially. By the 1960s, Jarritos had distribution to 31 of 32 Mexican states. Today, Jarritos are exporting at the rate of 1500 sodas per minute!
Ways to enjoy Jarritos
Aside from obvious, casual, thirst-quenching consumption, Jarritos are a great way to liven up your beverage repertoire. They add a fruity pop when sipped with tacos (being that Jarritos are the ‘official drink of tacos’), check out this Jarritos and taco pairing guide when planning your next Taco Tuesday. Simmered with traditional BBQ sauce ingredients, Jarritos provides a uniquely fun and fruity element. Each and every flavor of Jarritos sodas make for magical margaritas. And, on those super sweltering days, Jarritos makes for great paletas (or popsicles).
Most grocery stores and some large retailers (Target and Walmart) will carry an assortment of Jarritos. If you’re looking to source all the fabulous flavors, use the handy store locator tool found on the Jarritos website.
Feature Image: Flickr user Johnnie Utah ( CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )
