I'm not a lover of fizzy drinks but I have been known to partake in the odd glass of Irn Bru on occasion, purely because I do like the over-sweet taste and not for hangover reasons I assure you!
The chairman of Scotland's other national drink, Irn Bru, stepped down yesterday after 31 years and is passing the job to someone outside the family, a first for the company.
Robin Barr, 71, will continue as a non-executive director. He is one of only two people who know the secret recipe for Irn Bru and although he intends to pass on the recipe to his daughter, he is to continue to mix the secret ingredients every month, as he has done for years.
Fundamental to Irn Bru's success has been its advertisements which chime with Scotland's dark sense of humour, from the slogan "Made in Scotland from girders" to the posters of a toothless old woman saying "Give us yer Irn Bru or I'll snog ye." There has been controversy about their lack of taste. Three years ago Strathclyde Police complained about one advert which they felt glamorised violence, but the accusation was dismissed by the Advertising Standards Authority. The most recent campaign is a spoof of High School Musical, set in the fictional Auchendookit Senior High.
Under Robin Barr, the great-grandson of the company's founder, AG Barr diversified. In addition to Irn Bru it produces Tizer, Strathmore water, Orangina and most recently the fruit juice range Rubicon. AG Barr announced profits up nearly 10 per cent to £23.4m last January on a turnover of £169.7m.
May you have a long and happy semi-retirement Mr Barr.
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8 comments:
Irn Bru, yuk yuk and yuk again.
You don't like it then Rab? I don't mind the odd drink of the diet one.
Got to hand it to him though, he's created a marvellous business hasn't he.
Whisky and Irn Bru used to be a popular drink in my local many years ago.The reason? It was the only fizzy drink available in the vending machines at the nearby bottling hall...
SR,
Many a happy time spent drinking Irn-Bru, I've taught my halfbreeds to enjoy something cultural including mince n tatties, cullen skink and skirly.
CD
Love the stuff. It's actually a horrible taste but you become accustomed to it and get addicted to it, and it seems to manage to tay at 39p for a can.
Scottish Enterprise!
Oh Conan, yer showing yer age now.
Jings CD, I've never made skirly for years. You've got my taste buds going so I must google the recipe. Onions and oatmeal of course but I can't remember the rest.
Irn Bru - love it.
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