Cuban Sodas: A Complete Guide to the Island's Soft Drinks

In Cuba, drinking a soda was never just about quenching thirst. It was a social ritual, an everyday luxury, a little piece of bottled happiness. From the brands born before the Revolution to those created to fill the void left by Coca-Cola, Cuban sodas tell the island’s economic and cultural story in every bubble.

Before the Revolution: The Golden Age

Cuba in the 1940s and 50s was a soft drink paradise. Dozens of local brands competed with American giants in a vibrant market:

Materva (1920)

Created in Matanzas, Materva is perhaps Cuba’s most emblematic soft drink. Made from yerba mate, it has a sweet flavor reminiscent of ginger ale or cream soda. After nationalization in 1960, production ceased on the island. Today it’s made by Cawy Bottling Company in Miami, where it won Miami New Times’ Best Local Soda award in 2002.

Ironbeer (1917)

Born in Cuba with a name that evoked strength and modernity, Ironbeer survived the Revolution by reinventing itself in Miami. Its unique flavor — a fruit blend with spice notes — makes it truly one-of-a-kind. Before 1959, it reportedly outsold Coca-Cola in some Cuban provinces.

Jupíña

The quintessential Cuban pineapple soda. Jupíña captured the island’s tropical essence in every sip. Like Materva and Ironbeer, it’s now produced in the United States and remains a diaspora favorite.

Cawy

A lemon soda that gave its name to the bottling company that now produces several of these nostalgic brands from South Florida.

After 1962: Cuba Without Coca-Cola

When Coca-Cola withdrew from Cuba in 1962 following nationalizations, it left an enormous void. Cuba became one of only two countries in the world (along with North Korea) where Coca-Cola isn’t officially sold. The island had to invent its own alternatives.

TropiCola

Cuba’s first answer to Coca-Cola. Fidel Castro himself commented during a visit to Chile in 1971: “We make Coca-Cola in Cuba, but since we don’t have the secret formula, it doesn’t taste the same.” TropiCola became a symbol of Cuban self-sufficiency, though its taste was always a matter of debate.

Singer-songwriter Carlos Varela immortalized the brand in song, finding in TropiCola a symbol of Cuban identity caught between socialism and capitalism.

tuKola (1980s)

Cuba’s most successful and enduring cola. Produced by Los Portales S.A. in Pinar del Río (a joint venture with Nestlé), tuKola is sold in 355 ml cans, 330 ml bottles, and 1.5 liter containers. American chef Andrew Zimmern has publicly praised its flavor.

The brand won awards at Expocaribe (2002) and FIHAV (2001) for its diet version.

Najita and Cachito

Other local alternatives that appeared to diversify the offering. Najita with its orange flavor and Cachito as a lighter cola option are part of Cuba’s contemporary beverage landscape.

Malta: A Category of Its Own

Malta deserves special mention. This dark, sweet, non-alcoholic drink made from malted barley is practically an institution in Cuba and the Caribbean. Malta Hatuey — named after the Taíno chief — was Cuba’s iconic brand. Today Malta India and Malta Goya dominate the diaspora market, but Malta Hatuey still evokes pure nostalgia.

In Cuba, they say malta “raises the dead”: it’s given to children, the sick, and anyone who needs an energy boost.

Ciego Montero: Water and Beyond

Ciego Montero, known primarily for its mineral water from Cienfuegos, also produces soft drinks. Its Limón line became one of the few accessible options during the hardest times of the Special Period.

The Current Crisis

Today the situation is dramatic. Since 2023, finding a soda in Cuba has become increasingly difficult and expensive. The brands still in production — tuKola, Tropicola, Ciego Montero — are scarce in stores. What was once an everyday pleasure has become a luxury for many Cubans.

The economic crisis, falling tourism, and production problems have left the island practically without accessible soft drinks. A reminder that even small pleasures can disappear.

Where to Find Cuban Sodas Today

If you’re in the United States, especially South Florida, you can find the classic brands:

• Amigo Foods — Materva, Ironbeer, Jupíña, Malta online
• Cuban Food Market — Wide selection of Cuban beverages
• Amazon — Materva, Ironbeer, Malta Hatuey
• Sedano’s and Presidente supermarkets — In South Florida
• Soda Pop Stop — Specialty soda retailer

A Cuba Libre with History

The Cuba Libre — rum, cola, and lime — is perhaps the world’s most famous cocktail. And its history is tied to these sodas. It was once made with Coca-Cola, then with TropiCola or tuKola. Each version tells the story of a different era.

For more on the island’s drinks, don’t miss our guide to the Cuban daiquirí and guarapo, the sugarcane juice that doesn’t need bubbles to refresh.

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From Matanzas to Miami, from TropiCola to tuKola, Cuban sodas are more than beverages: they’re capsules of memory, bottled nostalgia, and carbonated resistance.