Passiona

Originally developed as a cordial by Lismore dairy farmer Spencer Cottee during the 1920s to avoid wasting excess passionfruit on his farm, when carbonated Passiona became a foundation product of the Cottee's range.[2] Passiona was first manufactured in 1924, and described in writing in an address to the Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce by Spencer Cottee 1925.[3] In 1926, a factory was set up in Sydney, and in 1927 the drink was marketed to the public.[4]

Newspaper reports from the 1930s mention Australians taking the drink with them overseas to Canada and Jerusalem. In 1934, Cottees Passiona Ltd reported a gross profit of £609.

Cottee granted licences to produce the drink to a number of now defunct Australian bottlers, including Geo. Hall & Sons in South Australia and Bowral Bottlers in the NSW Southern Highlands.[5] The trademark has also been used by Cottee's jelly crystal range.

The passionfruit pulp was originally supplied from not only Australian mainland growers, but later also a Norfolk Island cooperative.[6] Cottees then established plants in New Guinea in the highlands at Goroka and Mt. Hagen.[7]

• Passiona Jelly
• Photograph of Passiona promotional display from 1952