Cottee's
Cottee's is an Australian food and beverage brand best known for cordial, fruit drinks, spreads and dessert products.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Cottee's is an Australian food and beverage brand with roots in dairy processing and fruit-based drinks. It was established in 1927 by Spencer Milton Cottee, a dairy farmer from the Lismore area of New South Wales who had become involved in processing and marketing casein, a milk by-product. Cottee expanded from dairy-related activities into fruit processing and developed Passiona, a passionfruit-flavoured soft drink that became one of the brand's signature products. A factory was operating in Leichhardt, Sydney, by the 1930s, while Passiona was also bottled in South Australia by Geo. Hall and Sons. The brand later developed a broader range of carbonated soft drinks and cordials. Its better-known flavours included Tango, an orange drink, and Coola, a lime-flavoured cordial, alongside lemon, cola and lemonade variants. Cottee's products became especially prominent in Australian grocery and household consumption during the mid-twentieth century, with the brand reaching its greatest popularity in the 1960s. Coola became particularly associated with the cordial category and was promoted with the phrase “Australia's Flavourite Cordial.” Cottee's ownership changed several times as the Australian food and beverage industry consolidated. General Foods, an American food company, acquired the business in 1965. Cadbury Schweppes acquired it in 1984, placing the brand within a portfolio that combined beverages and other consumer products. Schweppes Australia was subsequently acquired by Asahi Breweries in 2009. Cottee's is now owned by The Kraft Heinz Company, while its drinks are manufactured under licence by Asahi Breweries. This division means that brand ownership and beverage production are handled by different corporate parties. The brand's product identity extends beyond drinks. Cottee's has been associated with cordial, jams, marmalades, other fruit spreads, toppings, jellies and puddings. Its portfolio therefore spans both concentrated or ready-to-serve beverages and shelf-stable grocery products used in everyday family meals and desserts. Within Australia, the brand is primarily positioned around familiar fruit flavours, household accessibility and long-standing local recognition. Its historical importance comes less from international expansion than from its sustained place in Australia's packaged beverage and grocery culture.
History
Cottee's originated in the Australian dairy and fruit-processing industries. Its founder, Spencer Milton Cottee, was a dairy farmer from the Lismore region of New South Wales. Before building the branded beverage business, Cottee worked with casein, a milk by-product that could be processed and marketed for industrial and commercial use. This background gave the enterprise a foundation in food processing rather than in soft-drink distribution alone. The business diversified into passionfruit processing and developed Passiona, a passionfruit-flavoured soft drink. The product became central to Cottee's identity and helped establish the company in Australia's packaged beverage market. A factory opened in Leichhardt during the 1930s, strengthening the company's manufacturing presence in Sydney. Passiona was also bottled in South Australia by Geo. Hall and Sons, illustrating the use of regional bottling arrangements in the early development of the brand. Cottee's later expanded its beverage range with carbonated soft drinks and cordial flavours. Tango provided an orange variant, while Coola offered a lime flavour. Lemon, cola and lemonade products were also associated with the portfolio. During the 1960s, Cottee's reached the height of its popularity in Australia. Coola became particularly prominent in the cordial market and was linked with the advertising phrase “Australia's Flavourite Cordial.” The brand's historical product mix was not limited to beverages: jams, marmalades, spreads, toppings, jellies and puddings also formed part of its food offering. Corporate ownership changed as the food and beverage sector became increasingly concentrated. General Foods acquired Cottee's in 1965. In 1984, Cadbury Schweppes acquired the business, bringing it into a large portfolio with substantial beverage operations. Schweppes Australia was later acquired by Asahi Breweries in 2009. Cottee's is currently owned by The Kraft Heinz Company, while the drinks are manufactured under licence by Asahi Breweries. The separation between brand ownership and licensed production is an important feature of the brand's present corporate structure. Cottee's remains principally associated with Australia. Its legacy rests on long-running fruit-flavoured beverages and cordial, especially Passiona and Coola, together with a broader grocery range. The available reference material does not establish a separate international headquarters, a public listing, current named executives or detailed recent product-launch chronology.
- 2009
Asahi acquires Schweppes Australia
[1]Asahi Breweries acquired Schweppes Australia, which became associated with licensed manufacture of Cottee's drinks.
- 1984
Cadbury Schweppes acquisition
[1]Cadbury Schweppes acquired Cottee's and added it to its food and beverage portfolio.
- 1965
General Foods acquisition
[1]The American food company General Foods acquired Cottee's.
- 1960
Peak of mid-century popularity
[1]Cottee's reached its zenith in popularity during the 1960s, supported by products including Passiona, Tango and Coola.
- 1930
Leichhardt factory opens
[1]A Cottee's factory was opened in Leichhardt during the 1930s as the business developed its processing and beverage operations.
- 1927
Cottee's founded
[1]Spencer Milton Cottee founded the Australian food and beverage business, building on his dairy and casein-processing activities.
Products and positioning
A familiar Australian grocery and beverage brand centered on fruit flavours, cordial and everyday family consumption, with additional shelf-stable spreads and dessert products.
Passionfruit soft drink
Passiona
Passiona is Cottee's signature passionfruit-flavoured soft drink. It developed from the company's diversification into passionfruit processing and became one of the products most closely identified with the brand. The drink was produced and bottled through Australian manufacturing arrangements, including bottling in South Australia by Geo. Hall and Sons.
Lime cordial
Coola
Coola is Cottee's lime-flavoured cordial. It became one of the brand's strongest offerings and was described in the reference material as the most popular cordial flavour in Australia. Its positioning was reinforced by the long-running phrase “Australia's Flavourite Cordial.”
Orange soft drink
Tango
Tango is Cottee's orange-flavoured carbonated soft drink. It formed part of the brand's best-known range of flavoured beverages during the period when Cottee's achieved broad Australian popularity.
Concentrated beverages
Cottee's cordials
Cottee's cordials comprise concentrated fruit-flavoured beverages intended to be diluted before consumption. The range has included lime, orange, lemon, cola and lemonade-related flavours, with Coola serving as the best-known example.
Shelf-stable grocery foods
Cottee's spreads and desserts
Beyond beverages, Cottee's has been associated with jams, marmalades, fruit spreads, toppings, jellies and puddings. These products extend the brand into everyday grocery and dessert use while retaining its broader association with fruit flavours and household food preparation.
Brand decisions
2009
Asahi acquisition of Schweppes AustraliaM&ABackground
Schweppes Australia was the operating business associated with Cottee's beverage production at the time.
Action taken
Asahi Breweries acquired Schweppes Australia.
Aftermath
Asahi became associated with licensed manufacture of Cottee's drinks, while the Cottee's brand is identified as owned by The Kraft Heinz Company.
1984
Sale to Cadbury SchweppesM&ABackground
Cottee's was operating within the increasingly consolidated food and beverage sector.
Action taken
Cadbury Schweppes acquired Cottee's.
Aftermath
Cottee's joined Cadbury Schweppes's combined food and beverage portfolio.
1965
Sale to General FoodsM&ABackground
Cottee's had developed from a regional dairy and fruit-processing business into a recognizable Australian beverage and food brand.
Action taken
General Foods acquired the Cottee's business.
Aftermath
The brand became part of an international food-company portfolio.
Recent events
- 2009
Schweppes Australia acquired by Asahi Breweries[1]
M&A
Asahi Breweries acquired Schweppes Australia. Cottee's drinks are subsequently described as being manufactured under licence by Asahi.
- 1984
Cadbury Schweppes acquires Cottee's[1]
M&A
Cottee's changed ownership again when it was acquired by Cadbury Schweppes.
- 1965
Cottee's acquired by General Foods[1]
M&A
General Foods acquired Cottee's, transferring the Australian brand into the portfolio of a major American food company.
Cottee's becomes part of The Kraft Heinz Company brand portfolio[1]
M&A
Cottee's is identified as a brand owned by The Kraft Heinz Company, while its drinks are manufactured under licence by Asahi Breweries.
Sources1 sources
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