Food of the Seventies, Simba Soda
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Description
Simba was, I believe, Coca-cola's answer to Pepsi's Mountain Dew. It was long ago, but I think it had kind of the same flavor. Came in a gorgeous green bottle with a large painted lion on it.
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User Stories and Comments
The following are comments left about Simba Soda from site visitors such as yourself. They are not spell checked or reviewed for accuracy.
Was going through some old things and ran into a bottle of Simba Pop.
The bottle is empty although the lid is still in tact.
If you know the value of this bottle, I would appreciate it if you would contact me.
The bottle is not broken or cracked, just empty.
Simba’s catch phrase was “Caught in the grip of the African thirst”. Commercials featured an Indiana Jones wannabe stalking a lion with a camera. The lion turns on him, and “Indie” barely makes it back to the rear of a (real) Land Rover. As an unseen driver hits the gas, our hero lifts a (Simba) toast to the lion. The idiot remembers to bring an ice chest with soda pop and an opener, but forgets his telephoto lens. Simba may mean lion.
Remember drinking this at my grandmother's home. She would always have it for the kids. This would have been early 70's. I remember I liked it but what soda didn't you like as a kid? Not many! haha
I can remember my Dad buying this in cans? And it was primarily found in the Los Angelas California area back when I was younger!! Sure wish Coca Cola would bring it back....
I have memories of my 3 siblings and I gathering on a Friday night to pop popcorn, drink our coveted Simba soda and watch a show on TV, perhaps Brady Bunch. Having a drink of pop or soda was rare in those times because we were on a tight budget. It made having a soda all the more special.
When my brother and I were quite young and when we visisted my Grandparents they would give us some change to "Go get something at the market," and we would walk two blocks down to the neighborhood corner ma and pop store (circa '70)
and invariably grab a bottle of Simba.
My folks didn't let me drink much soda and so this was pure independance. A quarter in your pocket and the power to choose your own destiny... we chose the cool green bottle and the lion on the label and popped the top and down the hatch. It was 9 year old heaven.
Wish I could do it again sometime...
I remember walking to the little store about 3/4 of a mile away just to get Simba pop. This was in the late 60's because it was before I moved to north Seattle from south Seattle. I thought it was the best pop in the world! Simba and Flicks chocolate wafers. Nothing can beat those 2 now!
I loved Simba Soda. I used to get it out of a pop machine in a laundry matt across the street from my home when I was a kid. It was in the machine along with Fanta Soda. I loved Simba Soda, I wish I could taste it again!
Every year our family went camping in the High Sierra's for two weeks. We would stop a local grocery store on the way and my dad would buy us Simba. My brothers and I would always look forward to that stop and loved the drink!
I used to drink Simba at my grandma's house in Bakersfield, California. I was just thinking about it today for some reason and would love to see any video someone has of the commercial.
I was in Rhode Island from 1968 to 1969. Coca-Cola was selling a pop called Simba then. It was basically Fresca with sugar instead of saccharine. It was good. I suspect that version of Simba was only in test market at the time, since I never saw it anywhere else in the country.
Did this commercial used to say " Simba...smacks the throat hard" ? trying to remember where I heard that quote
I remember when they first launched Simba. As a marketing gimic, they put Simba in the water fountain at my local Kroger Store so people could "try before you buy". No one else in my family could remember this wonderful beverage and tried to convince me that I had dreamed the whole thing...I mean, who puts soft drinks in the drinking fountains anymore...those were the days!
I also came across a vintage, Simba Soft Drink bottle. It is in green glass with the name and lion raised on front and back of bottle. I also have a plastic bottle cap with Dad's Root Beer written on it. Are either of these items valuable? Just courious!
Mt recollection was that the commercial said, "Simba...it goes for the throat"
For me it was at a church camp one summer - the only summer I remember it bienig available in our area and i don't even think the stores stocked it. I remember it having a flaveor that was like a blend of Mountain Dew and Squirt - I remember it as being one of my 2 favorite sodas ever, don't know if I would still feel the same if I had it today but I would love to find out. I still have an empty bottle from that camp.
I remember the commercial saying "It conquers the African thirst." I was in 7th grade (1968-69). This drink took on legendary status with my brother and I since we could never find it where my mom shopped. Loved the bottle design. Back in the days of returnable (reusable) bottles ($0.02 deposit).
i loved it. that and sport cola(REMEMBER THAT?) LATE 60,S
Simba: "Goes for the throat!!!"
we were digging a hole in my dads backyard and i came across this bottle it didnt have the print on it green bottle with a lion imprint on it wasent even chipped or anything my dad says was like a mountain dew sorta its bottle has no refund imprinted on it
I remember Simba in Louisville in the late '60s...
Louisville was a good test market (Pepsi with lemon pre-1970).
It was distributed in central Kentucky (Hodgenville/Elizabethtown area) in the late '60's. It definitely had the tag line "it conquers the African thirst." I bought a vintage bottle a couple of years ago. Looks like it may have the cola still in it but you never know. I'm not unsealing it.
I remember drinking Simba in the early 70's in East Ridge, TN. The slogan was (Concurs the African thirst).
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