In January 2023, Reliance Retail, which is led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s daughter Isha Ambani, acquired 50 percent stake in Sosyo Hajoori Beverages.
Success Story: In the pre-independence era, when things were not easy, a man decided to make a soft drink, which became India’s first home-grown carbonated drink. This man was Abbas Rahim Hajoori, who created the country’s home-grown fresh juice-based carbonated drink ‘Socio’ in 1923, which we today know as Sosyo. This small business idea of a teenager from Surat later won the hearts of millions around the world. Now, the 50 percent stake of the company is acquired by Isha Ambani-led Reliance Retail. This story is about Rahim Hajoori, who gave India its first carbonated drink.
Sosyo – The Cold Drink Brand
It all started in 1923 when the country was struggling for its freedom from the British Empire. Soon after its launch, Socio became a household name in Surat. The management noticed that the people of Surat pronounce the drink in a very unique way. instead of calling it Socio, they called it Sosyo because of their local dialect and diction.
The beverage company, Sosyo Hajoori, decided to rename their drink as “Sosyo” in the year of 1953. Previously, it was christened “Socio”, a word adapted from the Latin term “Socious”, denoting membership. Historically, in ancient Roman culture, “Socious” was a term referred to identify a friend, ally, or comrade.
As per the official website, Hajoori Beverages has introduced more than 100 flavours and ranked as one of the country’s top 1000 brands.
The brand has as many as 18 manufacturing units and 16 franchises across India. not only that it also exports to foreign countries such as UAE, USA, UK, Zambia, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada.
Reliance Retail Acquired Sosyo
In January 2023, Reliance Retail, which is led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s daughter Isha Ambani, acquired 50 percent stake in Sosyo Hajoori Beverages. The Hajoori family, existing promoters of the company, retain the remaining 50 percent stake.
Hajoori Beverages is a company that presents a diverse range of beverage products including popular brands like Sosyo, Kashmira, and Lemee. Their portfolio also includes nifty refreshers such as Ginlim and Runner, plus the effectively carbonated Hajoori Soda and S’eau.