7 October 2009

Um Bongo (Waitrose)


I was aware that Um Bongo was available until just a few years ago, and after that I know that there was an online campaign to bring it back. I can only assume that as I have found this, the campaign was successful! It is good to see this drink back on the shelves, as I would class it as a staple of my childhood lunchboxes.
Sadly when I tried the drink, I was rather disappointed, it is not the same as I remember it. Notable this drink has a prominent banana kick which the original did not. The whole taste is different, and I did not get that wonderful nostalgia I was expecting. Casting a glance at the ingredients it only has three fruits and they are orange, pineapple and banana, gone is the magic formula from years passed with apricot, guava and mango etc like I remember .*
Having said that, we do have a tasty fruit drink, which is now 100% juice. However, if you are expecting the same old flavour this drink won’t allow you to reminisce.

*I remember these fruits because of the ever so catchy music associated with the drink (which no longer works as they aren’t in it any more). Allow me to save you googling:

Way down deep in the middle of the Congo,
a hippo took an apricot, a guava and a mango.
He stuck it with the others, and he danced a dainty tango.
The rhino said, "I know, we'll call it Um Bongo",
Um Bongo, Um Bongo, They drink it in the Congo.
The python picked the passion fruit,
the marmoset the mandarin.
The parrot painted packets,
that the whole caboodle landed in.
So when it comes to sun and fun and goodness in the jungle,
They all prefer the sunny funny one they call Um Bongo!

4 comments:

Spectre said...

I had one of these the other day and was also disappointed with the strong banana taste. Please bring back the ORIGINAL Um Bongo (and the advert)!

Dreich said...

Ah that sucks that it doesn't taste like the original. I really liked it as a kid. Now all we need is for them to bring back creamola foam.

cinabar said...

I do miss the original Um Bongo - it wasn't that long ago it was still on the shelves - I'm sure it was even within the last two years?

I don't remember Creamola foam though. A quick Google does make it seem like a rather interesting product! Might see if I can get my hands on some Ahoj Brause which seems to be a German manufactured version.

Dreich said...

I just googled Ahoj Brause, those drink colours can't be healthy. Creamola foam was much more pale. It was an interesting product, it's what we got to drink at my grandparents house when we were young (not that long ago). Creamola foam and flavourings you can add to milk, can't remember the name of it but wasn't the bunny rabbit Nesquit stuff.