This is a version of a popular Zimbabwean beverage called Mazoe Orange Crush, popularly called Mazoe. The remarkable story of how this beverage was developed by Arthur Sturgess is summarized by the Herald newspaper.
Anyhow, the drink is currently available in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Some enterprising Zimbabweans in the diaspora have been importing Mazoe Orange Crush into the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and, to some extent, the United States of America. A couple of years ago, it was reported that Mozambican traders were selling a number of Zimbabwean goods, including Mazoe, at a higher asking price than goods manufactured in Mozambique.
In a further testament to the regional reach of Mazoe, the manufacturer is said to have complained about the beverage getting smuggled out of Zimbabwe. I am not sure why the Schweppes Company was up in arms when its popular product was in demand beyond Zimbabwe and South Africa. Here in the USA, "smuggling" the beverage is not possible. When available, it is expensive beyond belief. Of course the sellers have to recoup some the money incurred during the shipping, handling and import duties.
On my visit to Zimbabwe, I wanted to bring with me some Mazoe to last me a year. This was not possible, unless I was prepared to pay an arm and a leg for the shipment. I did not want to cough up the kind of money that was required. That is when I made up my mind to come up with a formulation that resembles Mazoe. In lieu of using artificial colourants like tartrazine and its possible adverse effects on human health, I opted for natural and edible colourants. The artificial colourant is a subject of some unsettling urban legends, by the way. It induces impotence, so says the unproven legend. This is the more the reason to find alternative colourants for the popular Mazoe beverage.
So, while Schweppes executives complain about smuggling, a possible opportunity to improve the safety of the product may have gone to waste. Factually, I am happy there was this glorious opportunity. I have now developed a product that contains no artificial colourants is seen in the montage above.
This is a Zimbabwean product, proudly developed in Texas. If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, he will go to the mountain........
In a further testament to the regional reach of Mazoe, the manufacturer is said to have complained about the beverage getting smuggled out of Zimbabwe. I am not sure why the Schweppes Company was up in arms when its popular product was in demand beyond Zimbabwe and South Africa. Here in the USA, "smuggling" the beverage is not possible. When available, it is expensive beyond belief. Of course the sellers have to recoup some the money incurred during the shipping, handling and import duties.
On my visit to Zimbabwe, I wanted to bring with me some Mazoe to last me a year. This was not possible, unless I was prepared to pay an arm and a leg for the shipment. I did not want to cough up the kind of money that was required. That is when I made up my mind to come up with a formulation that resembles Mazoe. In lieu of using artificial colourants like tartrazine and its possible adverse effects on human health, I opted for natural and edible colourants. The artificial colourant is a subject of some unsettling urban legends, by the way. It induces impotence, so says the unproven legend. This is the more the reason to find alternative colourants for the popular Mazoe beverage.
So, while Schweppes executives complain about smuggling, a possible opportunity to improve the safety of the product may have gone to waste. Factually, I am happy there was this glorious opportunity. I have now developed a product that contains no artificial colourants is seen in the montage above.
This is a Zimbabwean product, proudly developed in Texas. If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, he will go to the mountain........
Nice one. I need to try some of this BT.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I buy some? I live north Texas
ReplyDelete