Refresh was a highly patronised fruit juice
Over the years, Ghanaians enjoyed varieties of products which made childhood super fun and exciting.
These products were to die for and most children looked forward to having them in their backpacks while hurrying off to school and patiently waiting for break time to share among their classmates; grown-ups were not left out too.
Unfortunately, due to one reason or the other, some of these products are hard to come across on the market and others are completely out of business.
Below are some of the products that flooded the Ghanaian market in the late 90s:
Jolly Jus
Birthday parties were not complete without a chilled cup of jolly jus in their various flavours like cola, strawberry, and Fanta. Children especially were fascinated by how the colour of their tongues changed after gulping down the juice. They stuck out their tongues for friends to guess the flavour they drank.
Refresh juice
With its colourful box, one never left a shop without having a box of Refresh juice. It was consumed at any time of the day, whether refrigerated or not, due to its refreshing flavours. Most kids, after drinking, would blow air into the empty container and either used it as football or would stamp on it until it gave a loud sound. The bursting sound created euphoria among children and all involved in the act.
Astek Industries, who were producers of Refresh, stopped producing after they sold the company to Merchant Bank over their indebtedness to the financial institution.
Piccadilly biscuits
Christmas was and is nothing without having a taste of Piccadilly biscuits. It has been the pride of Ghana for decades and remains one of the oldest bakeries in the country. It defined the spirit of Christmas in Ghana; by the way, they are gifted and shared by so many.
During the yuletide, it was interesting to see how children would react to the arrival of the gem biscuit. It was a common sight to see putting threads in the holes of the biscuit to make a chain out of it while they slowly eat it, unlike today.
However, the company suffered a setback in February 2017 when a consignment of imported flour developed weevils in storage whilst still within its expiry date. Although the bakery itself was not contaminated by the affected flour, the incident led to the precautionary stoppage of production by the FDA. The company has recovered from this incident and has now received full certification from the FDA for its bakery manufacturing operation in North Kaneshie.
Chupa Chups
The lollipop brand was known for its amazing colours and flavours – strawberry and vanilla. Kids usually had their adrenaline rushing whenever their eyes land on Chupa Chups at the grocery stores. Even grown-ups took the chance to take a bite after unwrapping the toffee for their kids.
Cabin Biscuit
Good old cabin biscuits were the lifesavers in the chop boxes of most Senior High school students. They were delicacies to enjoy in either a hot chocolate drink, gari soakings, and even cereal. It was soon replaced by ‘Hye Me Ma’ which is produced in Ghana.
Quaker oats
It was the most preferred brand in almost every home and enjoyed during breakfast before the start of a busy day. This meal could last the whole day due to its rich nutrients and high fiber.
