At The Street Food Guy we take #ColaQuest VERY seriously, so seriously in fact that we invented the genre. Therefore talking about the largest Cola Brands in the world is something we have some passion about.
And while the top two on this list are no surprise. – spoiler altert Coke and Pepsi, there are probably a lot that average muggle has never heard of.
This though shall be a pure Cola list, not Coke for that is the brand, nor Caribbean Kola which is a whole different bag of vegetables. Oh and we are not doing “Diet Coke”, “Coke Zero” or the like. This my friends is a battle of the brands.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Cola Brands in the world by volume
So, and without further foreplay, here’s the 11 best Cola’s that the world has to offer us mere mortals.
10 Pakola – Pakistan
Pakistan’s long-running domestic brand. Massive recognition and distribution inside a country of 240+ million. Real internal volume, not hype. Famous for its green bottle and fruity variants, Pakola has been keeping Pakistanis refreshed since the 1950s. Best served cold after a long summer day, and surprisingly mixes well with local spirits.
9 Campa Cola – India
India’s revived legacy cola brand now heavily backed and scaling aggressively. In a country that size, even a challenger brand can move huge numbers fast. Originally launched in the 1970s during restrictions on foreign brands, Campa Cola has a slightly medicinal sweetness that locals recognise instantly. Cheap, fizzy, and perfect with Indian whisky or rum.
8 Jianlibao – China
One of China’s serious domestic beverage brands. China’s scale alone pushes domestic leaders into global-volume territory. Known mostly for energy drinks, its cola variant is popular in southern provinces. It is pretty shit.
7 Zamzam Cola – Iran
Iran’s dominant cola. Sanctions built the vacuum and Zamzam filled it. Huge protected domestic market. Dark, fizzy, and unapologetically sweet, it’s been the go-to cola in Iran for decades. Locals mix it with everything from homemade cocktails to the occasional shot of rum.
6 RC Cola – US of A
Founded in 1905, RC Cola is licensed across Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and beyond. Rarely number one anywhere, but always present. Its sharper bite and higher carbonation make it a favourite for mixing, while purists appreciate it straight from the bottle. Loyal fans around the world swear by it for cocktails or just ice-cold shots.
5 Inca Kola – Peru
Peru’s national champion. Famously outsells Coca-Cola domestically. Massive national consumption. Bright yellow, aggressively sweet, and fizzy enough to cut through fried street food, Inca Kola is as much a part of Peruvian culture as ceviche and roasted chicken.
4 Thums Up – India
India’s heavyweight. Aggressive, loyal following, enormous domestic sales. Born in 1977 after Coca-Cola left India, it dominates cola wars locally. Bold, fizzy, and slightly more bitter than Western colas, it pairs perfectly with whisky, rum, or just ice.
3 Big Cola – US of A
AJE Group’s emerging market beast. Huge presence across Latin America and Southeast Asia. The biggest challenger outside the duopoly. Price-driven, widely distributed, and slightly sweeter than Coke or Pepsi, it’s a favourite for locals who need a no-nonsense fizzy hit.
2 Pepsi US of A
The only real global rival to Coca-Cola. Present virtually everywhere. Sweeter than Coke, smoother finish, massive global advertising campaigns. Moves insane global volume, sponsorships, and fan loyalty make it the only cola that can even pretend to threaten Coke.
1 Coca-Cola – GLOBAL
The benchmark. The monster. The undisputed global number one. Sold in over 200 countries, instantly recognizable, and historically consistent. Sweet, fizzy, and globally dominant, Coke is the cola of the world. If you’re drinking cola anywhere, odds are it’s Coke.
5 Honorable Mentions of Cola Brands
While the following do not make the Top 11, they are all very good players that have scored at least 7.5+ on ColaQuest
Ize Cola– Cambodia
This scored a whopping 8/10 and won a taste test with me. Really well made and great with rum. Has led to many copy cats, but beware all other Khmer cola is bad.
tuKola – Cuba
One very much born out of necessity and the embargo, but bloody good not just alone, but also with a Cuban rum.
Vita Cola – East Germany
An East German cola that has survived the fall of the wall. Part of the nostalgia movement, but also actually very good and goes perfectly with schnapps.
GoGo Cola– Papua New Guinea
Another unknown gem that is unlikley to take over the world any time soon, but does the job in country. Of course the weapon of choice to mix or chase is Paiawara…
Ryongjin Cocoa Carbonated Drink – North Korea
This one is less “good” and more top marks for effort. Again another one born through sanctions. Thankfully Chinese coke now slips over from Dandong.
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