Guaraná Jesus - Brazil's "Holy" Soft-Drink

In our ever-shrinking, globalized world, I find it refreshing when something, anything, remains particularly and resolutely local. When something, be it a style of music, a fashion, a type of handicraft, a food or a drink, has a cult following in one region, and is practically unheard of in the rest of the world.

In the most recent post here on Flavors of Brazil, I discussed Guaraná Antartica, a popular soft-drink everywhere in Brazil, manufactured by a multinational brewing consortium. It has a huge following in Brazil, but it is known outside the country only in expatriate Brazilian communities, and among travelers who learned to enjoy it in Brazil. But Guaraná Antartica isn't really what I mean when I mention very local cult brands or styles, because Brazil is a huge country with almost 200 million inhabitants.

There is another Guaraná made in Brazil which does have this status. It's called Guaraná Jesus, and it comes from the poor northeastern state of Maranhão, where it is extremely popular. It's a carbonated soft drink, bright pink, and although the list of ingredients is secret there are hints of clove and cinnamon in its flavor. It's very sweet, in keeping with Brazilians' flavor preferences, and naturally, it contains guaraná from the Amazon.

Guaraná Jesus was named after its pharmacist-inventor, Jesus Norberto Gomes, of São Luís, Maranhão, who developed the drink at his pharmacy in 1920. He was trying to imitate a locally-popular medicinal concoction when he developed the soft drink, which he baptized with his own name. Ironically, although the drink has a Biblical name, Gomes was a fervent atheist, and was excommunicated by the Catholic Church for assaulting a padre.

Guaraná Jesus' advertizing campaign often use religious humor and references to advertise the drink. Among the company's recent slogans are: "Abençoe sua sede!" (Bless your thirst!) "Guaraná Jesus, porque nem só de pão vive o Homem" (Guarana Jesus - because man does not live by bread alone) and "Fé no estômago" (Faith in your stomach).

The ironic part of this whole story, for me at least, is that this small soft drink company, which was a market leader for many years in its own little corner of the world, did too well in selling its product. Guaraná Jesus was just too-tempting a purchase for one of the big multi-nationals not to scoop up, and in 2001 Coca-Cola purchased Guaraná Jesus. Up to this point, however, they have left it a strictly local product, only manufactured in Maranhão. I hope they keep it that way forever.