Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank are increasingly choosing Chat Cola, a locally produced soft drink, over Coca-Cola in response to American support for Israel during its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Chat Cola, with its red tin and white script reminiscent of Coca-Cola’s iconic design, has become a symbol of protest. Over the past year, its popularity has surged as consumers shift their preferences.
“No one wants to be caught drinking Coke,” said Mad Asaad, 21, a worker at the bakery-café chain Croissant House in Ramallah, which stopped selling Coca-Cola after the war began. “Everyone drinks Chat now. It’s sending a message.”
Since Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza, a Palestinian-led boycott movement targeting companies perceived as supportive of Israel has gained momentum across the Middle East. American brands like McDonald’s, KFC, and Starbucks have seen declining sales. In the West Bank, this boycott has led to the closure of two KFC branches in Ramallah. The most visible impact, however, has been the widespread presence of Chat Cola, with shopkeepers relegating Coca-Cola cans to the bottom shelves—or removing them altogether.
Chat Cola’s Rising Market Share
“When people started to boycott, they became aware that Chat existed,” said Fahed Arar, general manager of Chat Cola, speaking from the company’s factory in the hilly town of Salfit. “I’m proud to have created a product that matches that of a global company.”
Driven by the “buy local” movement, Chat Cola reported a 40% increase in West Bank sales last year compared to 2023. Although exact market share statistics are unavailable due to wartime data collection challenges, anecdotal evidence indicates that Chat Cola is capturing a significant portion of Coca-Cola’s customer base.
“Chat used to be a specialty product, but now it dominates the market,” said supermarket owner Abdulqader Azeez Hassan, 25, whose store in Salfit is stocked with the fizzy drink.
However, Coca-Cola’s franchise in the West Bank, the National Beverage Company, employs an all-Palestinian workforce, and the boycott affects them as well, noted general manager Imad Hindi.
Expansion Beyond the West Bank
Anti-American sentiment in the region has intensified following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for the mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, later rephrased as a recommendation. As demand for Chat Cola rises not only in Lebanon and Yemen but also in the United States and Europe, the company aims to expand internationally, according to PR manager Ahmad Hammad.
Chat Cola developed its flavor with French chemists, achieving a taste nearly identical to Coca-Cola, and its lemon-lime soda is said to resemble Sprite. In 2020, the National Beverage Company sued Chat Cola in Palestinian court for copyright infringement, claiming it had imitated Coca-Cola’s designs. The court ruled in favor of Chat Cola, citing enough design differences to avoid violating copyright laws.
