Mundet's Apple Sodas Don't Really Contain Much Of The Fruit At All

If you're not too familiar with Mexican food, then you might not have heard of Sidral Mundet's apple soda before. According to Mundet, the beverage was inspired by Mexico's "aguas frescas." As explained by Culture Trip, aguas frescas are a type of refreshment popular throughout the country but especially in Mexico City during the summertime. These "fresh waters," to use the direct translation, are nonalcoholic drinks made with fresh fruit, sugar, and water. In their traditional environment, aguas frescas are sold by street carts, ice cream parlors, and chain stores in "chica" and "grande" sizes or "por litro," by the liter. The liter, for example, might only cost you the rough equivalent of an American dollar. Horchata (cinnamon rice water) and jamaica (boiled, sweetened hibiscus) are two prime examples of aguas frescas, but lesser-known varieties (stateside, at least) like cebada (creamy barley) and agua de tuba (with nuts and apples) also round out this beverage category.

Evidently, aguas frescas have been around for quite a while. Sidral Mundet dates back to 1902 when a Spanish cork maker known as Arturo Mundet arrived in Mexico and was inspired by fresh water drinks and "sidra" ciders (via Business Wire) to concoct an apple-flavored soda, the first of its kind in the nation and now one of the country's most iconic pops. Notice, however, how we said "apple-flavored soda." At the end of the day, Mundet's soft drinks don't actually have a whole lot of apples in them.

If Mundet's apple soda isn't full of apples, then what does it consist of? A look at one carrier of the drink, Kroger, reveals the following ingredients in Sidral Mundet Naturally Flavored Apple Soda: caramel coloring, carbonated water, citric acid (for tartness), malic acid (also for tartness), natural flavor, sodium benzoate (to preserve taste), and sugar. There's also less than one percent of apple juice from concentrate. The apple is there, but just barely. It's an apple soda by technicality at best.

This issue may disappoint those who read the fine print, but it became even more of a problem back in 2015 when Sidral Mundet used ads to emphasize the supposed apple-like nature of its drink, per the Guardian. The businesspeople behind this product launched a marketing campaign employing slogans like "with apple juice" and "with pasteurized juice" beside pictures of apple slices advertised on delivery vans, bus stops, and billboards. Videos were uploaded to YouTube, also, with some showing the apple soda being used to water a flower pot that then grew a juicy red apple. Consumer Power, a non-profit group, complained to the government and alleged the company behind such ads had intentionally misled customers. A complicated legal battle ensued, driving home the truth: Sidral Mundet's apple soda is mostly an apple imitation. Soon enough, the marketing changed to focus on Sidral Mundet's traditionally Mexican nature, and the amount of real apple was made clearer on the packaging, too.

Brand identities are constantly changing. In 2022, per a press release, Sidral Mundet reinvented itself a bit with a "From Mexico with Love" campaign and a new logo. This fresh symbol still prominently features a red apple with a green leaf, though, plus white "Sidral Mundet" text. Despite the scarcity of real apple in the drink and the controversy that once sparked, the apple flavoring remains a key part of the soda's appeal. The slogan, at least, points to the cultural origins rather than taste. Jorge Gamboa, brand manager for Sidral Mundet, underlined this angle, claiming, "Sidral Mundet is the embodiment of the subtle magic that lives within each occasion spent with the people you love — from a casual kitchen conversation with a close friend, to toasting the birth of a brand new family member."

Sidral Mundet is already well established in Mexico, but could this latest approach be enough to spread its influence internationally? The apple soda drink is a member of the Novamex group, an authentic Mexican food and drink manufacturer in the United States. It distributes similar beverages like Camaronazo, Jarritos, Sangria Senorial, and Tepachito, as well, aiming to champion Mexican products in American society. Its efforts have been fairly successful so far, and with Sidral Mundet's latest and greatest take on its offerings, Americans may be seeing more and more "apple" and other sodas sent from Mexico with love very soon.