Cuba - cheeky request for anyone with travel to Cuba soon

There are rumours in the soft drinks business that Nestle have a cola for sale in Cuba. Possibly this is an actual Nestle product, or possibly it is an enterprising local using a brandname with which tourists will be familiar.

I have a professional interest in knowing more, and no plans to travel to Cuba soon. Also, Cuba is woefully under-represented on the web ;)

I would be extremely grateful if anyone going to Cuba could keep an eye out for a 'Nestle Cola'. Any news/photos/actual product making it to the UK will be rewarded suitably .... champagne in the UK, *A/OW miles or Hyatt/Hilton points for others.

Thanks in advance.
Stewie

The one you're searching for is Ciego Montero tuKola

http://www.webdesigncuba.com/index.php?/esp/content/view/full/210

That's the link.

I hope this helps.

jbcarioca,

Thanks very much for the extremely speedy response, but in the words (almost) of Alex Guinness 'that's not the droid I'm looking for' :D

Apparently there is a product actually called 'Nestle Cola' - and knowing Nestle strategy, that's why I don't really think that it's a Nestle product.

Stewart

A few months ago the only cola's I remember seeing were the mentioned Ciego Montero's TuKola and original Coca Cola, imported through Mexico.

Ciego Montero is a joint venture between Cubans (Los Portales S.A.) and Nestle. So TuKola and rest of the water and soft drinks in Cuba are made with Nestle's support.

Nestle is also involved in the icecream making there. Check http://www.coralsa.com.cu/

Apparently there is a product actually called 'Nestle Cola' - and knowing Nestle strategy, that's why I don't really think that it's a Nestle product.

Stewart


jbcarioca is right. TuKola is a product of a cuban-suisse joint venture in which Nestle is the partner of the cuban company Los Portales. TuKola is sold as well in Italy.

The other famous brand is Tropicola.

In my 10 years living in Cuba, I have never seen anything called "Nestle Cola" - so if there is such a thing, it is not widely distributed.

Perhaps it was "chinese whispers" on the Ciego Montero JV.

Having tried both in Cuba.. I rather go for the "real thing".. Coca Cola.. all else, is like a Pepsi or less.

I asked the shop assistant if Tukola was comparable to Coke. (I'm an advocate of generics - we get pretty good Coke generics in the UK). She told me to just get the real Coke since there was too much sugar in Tukola. Don't know what she meant but I got the real thing as advised.

But I was still curious about trying out Tukola. So I got a can in the airport lounge. It was vile, worse than Pepsi.

I'll be there in November of this year over Thanksgiving... I'll keep an eye out!

I've tried Tukola.. bit flatter than Coke.. I prefer Coke..

Tukola sucks, some of the bars around Parques Central carry the real Coke.

Tukola sucks, some of the bars around Parques Central carry the real Coke.

Tukola is flat, not sweet, low on caffeine..

Sort of like the no name brands you find at Overwaitea's or something..