Ramadan spurs ‘Vimto panic’ in some countries

If you live in the U.S. and aren’t Muslim, Vimto probably isn’t a brand name you recognize.

But for many Muslims observing Ramadan, the sugary fruit drink is considered a necessary part of iftar, the meal Muslims eat when breaking their fast.

Ramadan started on Sunday evening and runs for a full month, to July 5. During Ramadan, observers of the holy month fast from sun up until sundown, then break their fast with iftar every night.

And for some, a necessary part of breaking their fasts is Vimto, which sees its sales explode during Ramadan every year. Vimto is made from grape, blackcurrant and raspberry flavoring, along with lots of sugar.

The drink is popular in the United Kingdom, where it was originally manufactured, and in countries in the Middle East with large Muslim populations, such as Saudi Arabia. Stores in those countries have reacted to the Vimto craze by reportedly limiting the number of bottles people can buy at a time.

Asad Zaman, an imam at a mosque in the U.K., said many choose the drink because the high sugar levels help with energy after fasting all day.

“After a day of fasting your stomach has collapsed and your body is really low on energy,” Zaman said. “Anything sweet is a quick fix in terms of energizing your body.”

This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 10:09 AM with the headline "Ramadan spurs ‘Vimto panic’ in some countries."