Calpis

Calpis is a non-carbonated beverage of Japanese origin, manufactured by Calpis Co., Ltd. (カルピス株式会社, Calpis Co., Ltd. ^?), headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. The drink has a certain touch, similar to that of milk, and a slight acid taste, similar to natural or vanilla yogurt. It is composed of water, skimmed milk and lactic acid, and is produced by lactic fermentation.

The drink is sold as a concentrate that is mixed with water or sometimes milk just before consumption. A prediluted version known as Calpis Water (カルピスウォーター, Calpis Water^?) and another that is carbonated called Calpis Soda (カルピスソーダ , Calpis Soda^?) are also available. It is also used to flavor kakigōri and as an ingredient in cocktails and chuhai.

It was first released on July 7, 1919. It quickly gained popularity in pre-war Japan as it kept well without refrigeration in its concentrated form. The package image used to be white dots on a blue background until the colors were reversed in 1953. The original theme it was based on was the Milky Way, which is a reference to the Japanese festival of Tanabata on July 7, a traditional time considered to be the beginning of summer. The Calpis was sold for the first time on that day.

Variations

There are many varieties of flavors. These variations include, but are not limited to, strawberry, grape, matcha, guava, mango, lychee, pineapple (available only in Okinawa), orange, mikan (Japanese mandarin), melon, peach (peach, not durillo), aloe, and with cream. Recently, Calpis is available in an apple flavored "morning mix," a 70% calcium and reduced in calories, and "El Calpis Premium", an extra-pre-condensed mixed version of the original Calpis water. Another recent innovation is a diet version of Calpis Water called "Calpis Cero". In Japan and Taiwan you can get versions of many alcoholic beverages made with Calpis such as "Calpis Sour" and "Calpis Bartime", a fruity cocktail.

The company produces a variety of other drinks ranging from canned coffee to more nutritious yogurt drinks such as "Gun Gun Gurt". They also marketed products made on the basis of the drink such as "Calpis butter" and "Calpis vinegar".

Calpis Co. Ltd. is the Japanese distributor of Welch juices and French Evian mineral water. There is a Calpis candy that offers the same blue and white color scheme.

Names

The name Calpis comes from the combination of "cal" (calcium) and "pee" (from Sanskrit "sarpis" (supreme taste), a term used to describe the essence of Buddhist teachings.

Logo

The original Calpis logo was a simplified black and white representation of a black man with large lips drinking from a glass through a straw. The logo was developed from a painting by a German artist depicting a black person wearing a Panama hat. The logo was believed to be racist so the black and white was reversed and the logo was changed to the typical Calpis glass.^{[citation needed]}