If Switzerland had a national beverage, it would likely be Rivella.
I associate this Swiss soda beverage with mountain restaurants: a cold serving of Rivella is my favorite refreshment after a long hike or after skiing. The fact that this sparkling beverage contains traces of another Swiss beverage (milk!) does not bother me the least.
Yes, there is one caveat to Rivella: It contains 35 percent milk whey. In other words, a cow was somehow involved in giving Rivella that distinct, gingery taste.
Most Swiss kids never learn this fact until they are already hooked. And at that point, it is a non-issue because you need a lot of imagination to actually taste any milk. On the other hand, I can understand that the milk whey ingredient grosses people out.
Here is what a group of BuzzFeed employees thought when they first tried Rivella. Wait until they find out about the milk whey...
Rivella Green, my favourite :D
I like it! I’ve always said it tastes like the little smarties candy rolls (the kind in the US).