Ella
Ella is a carbonated beverage produced since 1818 in Elatana by the Royal Elatana Beverage Company popular in the countries of the Tavari Union. Originally formulated with kola nut extract as the primary flavoring, the company now produces Ella-brand beverages in more than a dozen flavors. Contrary to a popular myth, neither cocaine nor the coca leaf have ever been used as ingredients in Ella. The company has production facilities in Elatana, Tavaris, South Hills, and Packilvania. In 2023, the company announced an expansion into the uncarbonated beverages market, launching lines of ready-to-drink juices and iced teas under the name "Royal Elatana," and bottled water under the name "Arcturian Springs." In the same year, the Royal Elatana Beverage Company finalized the purchase of the Avotro brand of sports drinks from the Lanaš Group, marking a major expansion into the Tavari and Acronian markets.
History
Carbonated drinks have been popular on Elatana since the first years of settlement by the Alkari and Tavari; they were fashionable to serve in tea houses in Alkari cities such as Roshal at the turn of the 18th century[1] and were brought to Elatana by Alkari settlers, but quickly proved popular among the Tavari as well. Early fizzy drinks required naturally carbonated water and were relatively expensive; it would not be until the turn of the 19th century that a commercially feasible method for the mass production of carbonated drinks was developed. In 1818, Dr. Eríc Oren Menbareš, a pharmacist by trade, first began selling carbonated drinks marketed as “mineral water elixirs” purported to cure various maladies. Dr. Oren Menbareš is credited with being the first on Elatana to use the kola nut, which had been unknown to the Tavari prior to their arrival in Arcturia, as a flavoring agent, and he quickly found that his mineral water elixirs were by far the most popular item he sold.
In 1820, Dr. Oren Menbareš ceased his pharmacy practice altogether and incorporated the Elatana Beverage Company. In the early years, the company only sold product in Elatana itself because it was produced and sold pre-carbonated and thus had a limited shelf life. In 1831, Dr. Oren Menbareš agreed to switch to selling the drink in the form of a concentrated syrup that would be mixed with carbonated water by the retailers selling it, allowing the beverage to expand to Alksearia, followed by Ilarís in 1832 and Racatrazi in 1834. Though selling his drinks in mainland Tavaris was Dr. Oren Menbareš’ dream, he passed away in 1835 before agreeing to a sales agreement in Tavaris.
Sales of the drink in Tavaris began in 1840, but were initially lackluster, as the carbonated water craze had never penetrated culture in the home islands as much as it had in Tavari Arcturia. Concerned that “Dr. Eríc Oren Menbareš’ Elatana Mineral Water Kola Elixir” was an uninteresting name, or at the very least that many printers charged by the letter for printing marketing materials, the company changed the name to “Ella Elixir.” Also at this time, the company launched the first new flavor: replacing the kola nut extract with a secret blend of “botanical flavorings” that resulted in a clear liquid, which the company named “Ella Tonic.” The changes proved effective, and Ella has remained popular in Tavaris since.
In 2022, the Elatana Beverage Company was granted an honorary royal warrant by Her Majesty Queen Elarai of Elatana, the first such warrant ever issued in the name of the Elatanan crown. The warrant permits the company to use the descriptor “Royal” in the name. In granting the honorary warrant, Queen Elarai said “To bring together the Tavari love of sweets and the Alkari fondness for fizz was a uniquely Elatanan experiment that has, for centuries, brought people of all kinds, from every walk of life, together in the name of fun and enjoyment, and there can be few things more noble for a country to export.”
Flavors
Ella Kola has remained the most popular version of the beverage for its entire history, and the company has always used natural kola nut extract from Elatana-grown kola trees in its concentrate. Ella Kola, and most (though not all) other flavors use cane sugar as a sweetener; the sugar the company sources comes from Acronis. Ella Lite uses the exact same kola flavoring as Ella Kola, but a different sweetener and a low calorie formulation. (Due to Tavari food safety laws, it cannot legally be called a “diet” product.) There also exists Ella Kola Twist Lemon and Twist Lime, mixing the kola flavor with other flavors.
Ella Tonic is a polarizing flavor, often described as “love it or hate it.” It is slightly bitter, and is much beloved by bartenders and drinkers of cocktails as a drink mixer, especially for Gin & Tonics. In fact, Ella Tonic is so associated with gin that the cocktail of gin and tonic water is almost always referred to in the Tavari language as Ellatonic vat Žín ("Ellatonic and Gin") even if another mixer is used. While use as a mixer was once the overwhelming majority of its use, Ella Tonic has seen an explosion of popularity both inside and outside the Tavari Union with the rise of popularity in sparkling water in recent years. The Royal Elatana Beverage Company has repeatedly refused to acknowledge whether or not the name “Ella Tonic” is an intentional pun.
Ella Mango and Ella Lime (marketed as “Ella Rodoka Lime” since Rodokan independence) round out the company’s top 5 best selling flavors. Other popular flavors include Ella Passionfruit, Ella Dragonfruit, Ella Pineapple, Ella Sassafras, and Ella Cream, though the company offers more than three dozen flavors, some of them only available seasonally or regionally. In Packilvania, the most popular flavors include Ella Cinnamon, Ella Cardamom, Ella Turmeric, Ella Rose, Ella Mangosteen, Ella Jackfruit, Ella Saffron, and Ella Blue Pea, and in recent years these flavors have increased in popularity internationally as well. In Tavaris and Acronis, the Royal Elatana Beverage Company and the coffeeshop chain KokoVoi have partnered to sell Ella+Voi, coffee mixed with Ella Kola. The company also produces a line of energy drinks, EnergElla.
- ↑ "The New East, Post 6". October 15, 2021.