Ribena blackcurrant soft drink

Ribena is a blackcurrant-based soft drink that originated in the United Kingdom in 1938. It was developed by Dr. Vernon Charley, a scientist at the University of Bristol, who recognized the high vitamin C content in blackcurrants. During World War II, Ribena was distributed to children and expectant mothers as a vitamin C supplement when other sources were scarce. The name 'Ribena' is derived from the botanical name for blackcurrants, 'Ribes nigrum'. In 1955, the Beecham Group acquired the brand, and in 1989, Beecham merged with SmithKline Beckman to form SmithKline Beecham plc. In 2000, SmithKline Beecham merged with Glaxo Wellcome to create GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). In 2013, GSK sold Ribena, along with Lucozade, to the Japanese multinational Suntory for £1.35 billion. Under Suntory's ownership, Ribena continues to be produced in multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, to cater to various markets.