Calpis



Calpis (カルピス) is a Japanese uncarbonated soft drink, manufactured by Calpis Co., Ltd. (カルピス株式会社) (tyo: 2591), headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. The beverage has a light, somewhat milky, and slightly acidic flavor. Its ingredients include water, nonfat dry milk, and lactic acid, and is produced by lactic fermentation.

The drink is sold as a concentrate which is mixed with water or sometimes milk just before consumption. A pre-diluted version known as Calpis Water (カルピスウォーター), or its carbonated variety, known as Calpis Soda（カルピスソーダ）, are also available. It is also used to flavour kakigori (shaved ice dessert) and as a mixer for cocktails and chuhai. In English-speaking countries the beverage is instead called "Cal Pico," because "Calpis" may sound like "cow piss".

It was first marketed on July 7 1919. It quickly became popular in pre-war Japan as its concentrated form meant it kept well without refrigeration. The polka dot packaging used to be white dots against a blue background until the colours were inverted in 1953. It was originally themed on the Milky Way, which is in reference to the Japanese festival of tanabata on July 7, which was traditional seen as the start of the summer and the day Calpis was first sold.

Variations
There are many fruit flavoured variations. These variations include, but are not limited to, strawberry, grape, matcha, guava, mango, pineapple (available in Okinawa only), orange, mikan (Japanese tangerine), melon, peach, and with cream. Recently, Calpis is available in an apple flavored "morning blend",a 70% calorie off version with calcium, and also "The Premium Calpis," an extra-condensed pre-mixed version of the original Calpis water. In Japan and Taiwan you can even get alcoholic versions of many Calpis drinks like "Calpis Sour" and "Calpis Bartime," a pre-made fruit flavored cocktail. The company also produces a variety of other drinks ranging from canned coffee to more nutritious yogurt drinks like "Gun Gun Gurt." They also put out non-beverage products such as "Calpis butter" and "Calpis vinegar". Calpis Co. Ltd. is also the Japanese distributor for Welch's juice products and Evian bottled water. In

Names
The name Calpis was actually constructed as a portmanteau, by combining cal from calcium and pis from Sanskrit sarpis (good taste).

Outside of Japan, Calpis can often be found in ethnic Asian supermarkets, under the trade name of CALPICO.

Calpis gains a humorous connotation with English speakers because the name sounds like "cow piss" when spoken aloud.

Amongst expats in Japan, the standard joke is "Where does Calpis come from?" "From Cals, of course"

Trivia

 * Calpis was a major sponsor for the first few years of what became known as the World Masterpiece Theater anime series.


 * The Himalayan cat owned by Ryoma Echizen in the Prince of Tennis anime and manga series, Karupin, gets his name from the Calpis drink.


 * There is a Calpis candy that features the same blue and white color scheme.


 * Calpis Milk is the name of a Song made by Kazuma Endou, ex Siam Shade.