Kas is the brand name of a soft drink produced by PepsiCo. It is made in grapefruit, orange (yellow), lemon (greenish-yellow), bitter (herbal extracts), and apple flavors. Kasfruit juices are also offered in multiple flavors. Kas is available in Spain, Mexico, Dominican Republic and France, and was available in Portugal, Brazil and Argentina during the 1990s.
It is part of a beverage area often referred to as the flavor segment, fruit-flavored beverages which may be carbonated.
History
The brand's origins can be traced to 1870, when German-origin Román Knörr Streiff beer-crafter that worked for Bauhöfer Brewery in Renchen-Ulm, Baden-Württemberg arrived in Vitoria and founded, with the family of his wife (Pilar Ortíz de Urbina) a beer factory named 'La Esperanza'.
In the 1920s, one of their sons, Román Knörr Ortíz decided to start his own business to produce sodas, named 'El As'.
In 1956 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, the capital of the Basque Country, Luis Knörr Elorza created a beverage that was a mix of soda with orange juice, giving origin to the first flavored soda of Spain. It was named 'Kas' (adding the 'K' from the family name to the original 'As' trademark, this idea was given by his brother, Javier Knörr Elorza). During the 1960s, the company expanded and grew, opening new plants in Spain. New products were launched such as a Kascol (cola) and the 'BitterKas', a commercial success. For decades, the company also sponsored a cycling team Pepsi commercialised Kas products in the Spanish market while using the Mirinda brand worldwide.
Advertising
Kas promotion has included a landmark 24 Horas Kas campaign in the mid-1990s that included a catchy jingle based on the song "Dame Más" (Give Me More) by Alex de la Nuez a cover of the Steve Miller Band's song "Give It Up" from 1982 album Abracadabra. The campaign featured the "Chica Kas" ('Kas Girl') (a response to "Chica Mirinda"),