Kia Ora

Kia Ora is a concentrated fruit soft-drink brand whose history began in Australia in 1903 and whose strongest later association became the United Kingdom. The first Kia Ora was a lemon squash created by Arthur Gasquoine in Sydney. The brand was acquired by the Dixon family during the same year, and Roland Dixon established its first factory in Prahran, Melbourne. Early flavours included lemon, orange and Chilli Cordial. The original factory chimney reportedly survives as a heritage-listed structure, while the Dixon family has retained the first bottle produced and the original Chilli Cordial recipe. The brand entered Great Britain in 1917 with orange and lemon varieties. Over time, the range expanded into additional fruit combinations, including orange mixed fruit, raspberry and pear, as well as products positioned as containing no added sugar. Kia Ora remained popular among children in Australia and the United Kingdom during much of the twentieth century. Its advertising history developed from full-colour posters introduced in 1953 into highly recognizable television and cinema campaigns. In 1961, Kia Ora was sold to the Campbell Soup Company of the United States. The brand became particularly prominent in Britain during the 1970s, when it was commonly available in cinemas in ready-to-drink cartons. Its best-known advertising identity arrived in 1982 through an animated campaign directed by Oscar Grillo of Klacto Animations. The campaign used the jingle “We all adore a Kia-Ora” and presented a child in a straw hat, a dog named Fedora and a group of crows pursuing the drink. The child’s line that the drink was “too orangey for crows” became closely associated with the brand. The campaign was commercially memorable but later attracted criticism for racial stereotypes associated with its crow characters. In 1987, Kia Ora refreshed the advertising execution, with Geoff Dunbar directing commercials that redesigned the characters, added the boy’s father and introduced variations on the established jingle. Later promotional activity included the song “Fido” by Caramba, and the advertising slogan continued to be referenced in popular culture. Kia Ora’s commercial position weakened as rival fruit-drink brands, including MiWadi and Robinsons, gained ground. Coca-Cola subsequently reduced the portfolio, discontinuing most varieties and retaining sugar-free orange and sugar-free mixed fruit for a period. Coca-Cola discontinued production in the United Kingdom in spring 2019. Production continued in Ireland under licence from local company Harney Enterprises. The brand is therefore best understood as an active but geographically limited concentrated-fruit-drink label, with a substantial historical presence in Britain and continuing licensed manufacture in Ireland.

Kia Ora originated in Australia in 1903, when Arthur Gasquoine created a lemon squash in Sydney. The Dixon family acquired the brand in the same year, and Roland Dixon established its first factory in Prahran, Melbourne. The early range included orange, lemon and Chilli Cordial. The Dixon family retained historical artefacts connected with the brand, including the first bottle produced and the original Chilli Cordial recipe. The factory chimney also remained as a heritage-listed remnant of the manufacturing operation. Kia Ora expanded beyond Australia when it was introduced in Great Britain in 1917. Orange and lemon were the initial British flavours, followed later by variants such as orange mixed fruit, raspberry and pear. No-added-sugar formulations were eventually added to the portfolio. The brand remained associated with children and family consumption in both Australia and the United Kingdom, and its visibility was supported by advertising, including full-colour posters from 1953 onward. Ownership changed in 1961, when the brand was sold to the Campbell Soup Company of the United States. Its British presence strengthened during the 1970s, particularly through cinema distribution in ready-to-drink cartons. Kia Ora became most recognizable through its 1982 animated advertising campaign. Directed by Oscar Grillo of Klacto Animations, the campaign featured a straw-hatted child, a serving dog named Fedora and crows attempting to obtain the drink. The “too orangey for crows” line and the “We all adore a Kia-Ora” jingle became durable elements of British advertising culture. The campaign’s imagery was later criticized for racial stereotyping, particularly in relation to the depiction of the crows. A 1987 refresh directed by Geoff Dunbar redesigned the characters, added the boy’s father and developed new versions of the jingle. Other promotional material included Caramba’s song “Fido,” while the campaign’s language continued to appear in cultural references. Kia Ora later lost ground to competing fruit-drink brands such as MiWadi and Robinsons. Coca-Cola ultimately narrowed the range, discontinuing most varieties and retaining sugar-free orange and sugar-free mixed fruit for a period. Production in the United Kingdom ended in spring 2019. The brand continued to be manufactured in Ireland by Harney Enterprises under licence, leaving Kia Ora as an active licensed brand with a more limited market footprint than during its twentieth-century peak.

1. 2019UK production ends

   Coca-Cola discontinued production of Kia Ora in the United Kingdom in spring 2019.

   Source
2. 1987Advertising characters redesigned

   Geoff Dunbar directed a refreshed advertising series with redesigned characters and the introduction of the child’s father.

   Source
3. 1982Animated crow advertising campaign launches

   Oscar Grillo directed the animated campaign featuring Fedora the dog, the straw-hatted child and the crows, supported by the “We all adore a Kia-Ora” jingle.

   Source
4. 1970British popularity increases

   The brand became especially popular in the United Kingdom during the 1970s and was widely sold in cinemas in ready-to-drink cartons.

   Source
5. 1961Acquired by Campbell Soup Company

   Kia Ora was sold to the Campbell Soup Company of the United States.

   Source
6. 1953Full-colour poster advertising begins

   The brand began using full-colour posters in its advertising.

   Source
7. 1917British launch

   Kia Ora was introduced in Great Britain in orange and lemon flavours.

   Source
8. 1903Kia Ora originates in Australia

   Arthur Gasquoine created a lemon squash in Sydney, and the Dixon family acquired the brand during the same year.

   Source
9. 1903First Dixon factory established

   Roland Dixon established the brand’s first factory in Prahran, Melbourne.

   Source

A family-oriented concentrated fruit drink, historically marketed through colourful character animation, memorable jingles and child-focused cinema and television advertising.

• Kia-Ora OrangeConcentrated fruit drink1917

  The orange variant was one of Kia Ora’s original British flavours and became one of the brand’s best-known products. Both standard and no-added-sugar versions existed at different points, although the sugar-containing version was later discontinued. The no-added-sugar version was among the products retained after Coca-Cola reduced the range.

• Kia-Ora Mixed FruitConcentrated fruit drink

  Mixed Fruit was part of Kia Ora’s later fruit-drink range and was offered in both standard and no-added-sugar forms at different stages. The standard version was discontinued, while no-added-sugar mixed fruit was retained among the brand’s later core offerings.

• Kia-Ora BlackcurrantConcentrated fruit drink

  Blackcurrant is identified among the brand’s current variants. It extends Kia Ora beyond its original citrus-led identity while retaining the concentrated fruit-drink format.

• Kia-Ora LemonConcentrated fruit drink1903

  Lemon was one of the earliest Kia Ora flavours. The original Australian product was a lemon squash, and lemon was also included in the initial British launch range.

• Kia-Ora Chilli CordialFruit cordial1903

  Chilli Cordial was one of the first flavours introduced alongside orange and lemon in the brand’s early Australian range. The original recipe has remained associated with the Dixon family.

• Kia-Ora RaspberryConcentrated fruit drink

  Raspberry was one of the additional fruit flavours developed as the Kia Ora range expanded beyond its original citrus offerings.

• Kia-Ora Pear & BlackcurrantConcentrated fruit drink

  Pear and Blackcurrant was a combined-fruit variant introduced during the brand’s broader range development and later discontinued.

• 1987Kia Ora character refresh

  United Kingdom

  Geoff Dunbar directed a refreshed series of commercials that redesigned the established characters, introduced the boy’s chubby father and varied the advertising jingle.

  Outcome. The refresh updated the campaign’s visual identity while preserving its established animated characters and musical branding.

  Source
• 1982We all adore a Kia-Ora

  United Kingdom

  An animated campaign directed by Oscar Grillo featured a straw-hatted child, Fedora the dog and crows trying to obtain Kia Ora. Its jingle and the child’s response that the drink was “too orangey for crows” made it one of the brand’s most recognizable promotions.

  Outcome. The campaign became strongly associated with Kia Ora and remained culturally recognizable, although its racialized imagery was criticized in later years.

  Source

• 2019UK production discontinuedStrategy

  Kia Ora had declined relative to competing fruit-drink brands, and Coca-Cola had already reduced its product range to a small number of variants.

  What changed. Coca-Cola ended production in the United Kingdom in spring 2019.

  Aftermath. Manufacture continued in Ireland under licence from Harney Enterprises, giving the brand a continuing but more limited market presence.

  Source
• 1961Sale to Campbell Soup CompanyM&A

  After decades of development under the Dixon family, Kia Ora changed ownership.

  What changed. The brand was sold to the Campbell Soup Company of the United States.

  Aftermath. The transaction marked a major change in ownership before the brand’s later association with Coca-Cola and its system of licensed manufacture.

  Source

• 1982Criticism of racial stereotypes in advertisingControversy

  Kia Ora’s well-known animated advertisements were later criticized for using Jim Crow-style racial stereotypes in their depiction of the crow characters.

  Source

• 2019Kia Ora production discontinued in the United Kingdom

  Coca-Cola ended production of Kia Ora in the United Kingdom in spring 2019, while licensed manufacture continued in Ireland.

  OtherProduct generation
  Source
• 2019Kia Ora continues under Irish manufacturing licence

  Following the end of UK production, the drink continued to be made in Ireland by Harney Enterprises under licence.

  Other
  Source

1. Kia-Ora