Iconic Maltese soft drink brand Kinnie, which is owned by Farsons Group, recently hosted a number of trade clients and other guests to a gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary since its launch in the local market in June 1952.

During an event held at The Brewhouse’s Kettles Café and Bistro in Mriehel, Farsons Group Chairman Louis A. Farrugia related the “extraordinary story” of Kinnie’s origins as the brainchild of his first cousin, Nini Miceli Farrugia, as a response to the growing presence of international soft drinks on the island.

A can of Kinnie featuring 70th anniversary branding / Facebook

“Kinnie now commands a significant share of the local soft drinks market and is exported to 16 countries,” Mr Farrugia said.

He added that Farsons Group is “very proud” of the success, and he believes that “most Maltese are just as proud of this iconic product”.

Launched in 1952 by Simonds Farsons Cisk, Kinnie was created with the idea to “be different from other beverages”. Over the past 70 years, its unique bittersweet taste has pushed it to become one of Malta’s leading and much-loved brands.

Since its launch, Kinnie’s portfolio has expanded extensively through Diet Kinnie and sugar-free variant Kinnie Zest, which launched in 1984 and 2007 respectively. Additionally, 2021 saw the launch of Kinnie Spritz, a four per cent ABV alcoholic aperitivo that is blended with a mixture of natural bitters and botanicals, as well as Italian sparkling white wine, building on Kinnie’s “inherent mixability and classic bittersweet flavour”.

Kinnie is produced, marketed, and distributed by Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, which is a member of Farsons Group.