In the 1880s, The Scotsman reported on the ‘marvellous discovery’ of kola, encouraging immediate cultivation lest Britain be overtaken by its European competitors. Bio-prospectors returned from their travels advocating for its curative abilities, and supplying specimens to herbariums, chemists, and tonic and confectionary agents.
A significant trade soon developed from West Africa and the Caribbean supporting the production of kola-influenced soft drinks, wines, syrups, bitters, chocolates, and lozenges. Scottish-based chemist J. C. Pottage, dubbed the ‘apostle of the north,’ was allegedly the first to introduce the nut to Britain, transforming it into a prized pharmaceutical item, producing a variety of kola-infused goods from 1887, and even penning a book on the subject. So significant was Scotland’s adoption of kola that it is argued to have directly inspired the launch of Coca-Cola in the United States (Leishman, 2020).
Exploring how Scotland consumed kola underscores the African influence on global consumption practices.
