Presented as an energy drink, Coca Colla’s packaging draws on a somewhat familiar red, black and white palette, while its name is obviously intended to challenge the global cola leader, Coca-Cola.
Bolivia’s new constitution recognises coca as “a cultural heritage, a natural and renewable resource of biodiversity in Bolivia and a factor of social cohesion”.
The drink is part of a campaign to expand coca production from 12,000 hectares to 20,000. Morales hopes to produce the drink in a joint venture with a private company.
Morales began his career as a union leader for coca growers and is the first president to openly chew the leaves in meetings with the United Nations.
The Coca-Cola Company is used to challenges in Latin America. From the Ajegroup launch of Kola Real in Peru in 1988 – now available in Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Mexico and Colombia – to last summer’s banning of the Coca-Cola brand in Venezuela by renowned anti-capitalist president Hugo Chávez.
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