Why You'll Find 2 Different Versions Of Jarritos In Mexico

Although Mexican Coke is probably Mexico's most famous soft drink export, it's safe to say Jarritos comes in a close second. The iconic glass bottles of brightly colored soda are undoubtedly one of the best beverages to wash down Mexico's unique regional delicacies. However, if you enjoy Jarritos south of the border, you'll find that the fruity beverage comes in one of two distinctly packaged versions depending on where you buy it.

The reason there are two versions of Jarritos in Mexico is that the soda is produced and distributed by two different bottlers within the country. The primary bottler, Embotelladora Mexicana, has been producing and distributing Jarritos in Mexico since 1983. However, Grupo GEPP, the company that bottles Pepsi in Mexico, has also distributed Jarritos in certain regions of the country since the early 2010s.

The Embotelladora Mexicana version features a more subdued green and yellow label, while the Grupo GEPP bottles sport a colorful design similar to the Jarritos sold in the U.S. and international markets. That's right, to make things even more confusing, Jarritos soda sold outside of Mexico is bottled by yet another company, Novamex. The Novamex label is the simplest of the three, featuring a minimalist orange and green logo against a plain glass bottle.

Despite their differences, all three Jarritos labels feature the iconic trio of jarritos ("little jugs" in Spanish) in which agua fresca is traditionally stored and served in Mexico. It's an homage to the soda's inspiration in the traditional drink. Perhaps more importantly, all Jarritos products are naturally flavored with real fruit, sweetened with cane sugar, and served in glass bottles (the glass bottles and cane sugar are also among the reasons why many people think Mexican Coke is superior). In other words, Jarritos is the same quality product, no matter which label is on the bottle. 

However, there are some notable differences when it comes to flavor selection. Embotelladora Mexicana makes apple, lime, and grapefruit Jarritos, which are not in the Grupo GEPP lineup. Interestingly, some Jarritos varieties are only available outside of Mexico. Flavors such as passion fruit, mango, guava, and watermelon are produced by Novamex exclusively for the international market. This reflects the soda's massive global success — these days, billions of bottles of Jarritos are exported every year, and the soda is available in over 45 countries. No matter where you are in the world or what flavor you're reaching for, there's no question that Jarritos are one of the best Latin American sodas to break you out of your soft drink slump.