A BATTLE is brewing over Scotland's ''other'' national drink.
Barr's Irn Bru, ''made in Scotland from girders'' is now facing a
challenge from Rivets Iron Brew -- made in Dundee by Asian businessmen.
Rivets has been launched with a #250,000 advertising campaign
featuring the girders of the Forth Bridge.
The secret recipe for Rivets has taken 18 months to develop and the
product is the brainchild of Dr Aziz Okhai, managing director of the
Meri-Mate Ltd, a company owned by the Okhai family.
In the wake of the success of Sainsbury's own-make rival to Coca Cola,
Dr Okhai is determined to eat into Barr's share of the Scottish soft
drinks market.
He said: ''Barr have had it all their own way for too long. Basically,
if you look at any products, say a cola, you have two choices with Pepsi
and Coke and you also have cheaper versions.
''In the iron brew side, there is no leading second brand. There is
only Barr's Irn Bru and then you get the cheaper products at the other
end of the scales.''
Already, 40 lorry loads of the new fizzy drink have been delivered to
stores across Scotland.
''I'm sure it will be a success,'' he added. ''It's only a question of
time.''
But Glasgow-based A G Barr PLC is confident of beating off the
competition from Dundee.
A spokesman said: ''Having tasted Rivets, I cannot imagine that people
will prefer to pick it up in preference to Barr's Irn Bru. So-called
brands of iron brew have come and gone, and we don't see anthing
particularly different about this one.
''But Rivets is a slightly more high profile product.''
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