About Thums Up
Thums Up is India's legendary homegrown cola, created in 1977 by Ramesh Chauhan of the Parle Group when Coca-Cola withdrew from India due to government regulations. Developed from scratch with a distinctively bold, spicy formula featuring notes of cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg, Thums Up was designed to be fizzier than Western colas and enjoyable even without ice—perfect for India's street vendor culture. The brand became a billion-dollar success story in 2021. The name 'Thums Up' (deliberately spelled without the 'b') quickly became synonymous with Indian cola culture. During the 1980s, Thums Up achieved near-monopoly status in the Indian cola market with its famous 'Taste the Thunder!' slogan. Even after Coca-Cola's return and 1993 acquisition of the brand for $60 million (when Thums Up held 85% market share), the drink refused to die—Indians remained loyal to their spicier, bolder cola. What makes Thums Up remarkable is that it continues to outsell Coca-Cola and Pepsi in India today. While Coca-Cola initially tried to suppress the brand to promote its flagship cola, they discovered that Thums Up customers would switch to Pepsi rather than Coke. This led Coca-Cola to reposition Thums Up as their primary weapon against Pepsi in India, where it remains the country's favourite cola (only topped by Sprite in overall carbonated beverages). Available in the UK at retailers including ASDA, Thums Up offers British consumers a taste of India's most beloved soft drink. For the large South Asian diaspora and anyone seeking a bolder cola experience, Thums Up provides an authentic connection to Indian beverage culture—a drink that successfully stood against global giants and became a symbol of Indian commercial resilience.
