Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 8, 2026

Ubuntu Cola

Ubuntu Cola is a soft drink certified by The Fairtrade Foundation. Made with Fairtrade sugar from Malawi and Zambia, Ubuntu Cola was the first United Kingdom (UK) cola to be Fairtrade certified. It was available for sale in the United Kingdom, Hungary, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Luxembourg and online.

Last revised
Jun 8, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
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267 w
Citations
9
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Ubuntu Cola
TypeSoft drink
ManufacturerUbuntu Trading Company Ltd
DistributorUbuntu Trading Company Ltd
OriginUnited Kingdom
Introduced2007 (2007)1
Discontinued2019 (2019)1
Proof (US)0
Colourcaramel
Flavoursweet, tart
Related productsCoca-Cola, Virgin Cola

Ubuntu Cola is a soft drink certified by The Fairtrade Foundation. Made with Fairtrade sugar from Malawi and Zambia, Ubuntu Cola was the first United Kingdom (UK) cola to be Fairtrade certified.2 It was available for sale in the United Kingdom, Hungary, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Luxembourg and online.34

It was available in 330 ml cans, 500 ml polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles, and 275 ml glass bottles.4

It was produced from 2007 to 2019.1

Name

The cola is named after the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which means humanity or fellow feeling; kindness,5 There is no connection between the cola and the Ubuntu open-source software operating system (also named after the philosophy). Moreover, Ubuntu Cola is not an open-source cola.

Fairtrade

Ubuntu Cola's sugar was sourced from Fairtrade worker cooperatives in Kasinthula, Malawi and Kaleya, Zambia. Farmers who are Kasinthula cooperative members received an income of $4 a day, which was six times the national average income.6

References

References

  1. "Ubuntu Cola". Archived from the original on 2025-02-25. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  2. "UK's first Fairtrade cola". Speciality Food Magazine. 2007-10-15. Archived from the original on 2008-03-29. Retrieved 2008-03-11.
  3. Weston, Shaun (2010-04-29). "Miranda Walker, Ubuntu Cola". FoodBev.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-17.
  4. "Ubuntu Trading (official website)". Ubuntu Trading Company Ltd. Archived from the original on 2008-04-02. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
  5. "We Are Ubuntu". Ubuntu Trading Company Ltd. Archived from the original on 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2010-07-23.
  6. "Ubuntu in Malawi". Ubuntu-trading.com. Archived from the original on 2009-08-22. Retrieved 2009-08-06.