How a packaging accident made this alcohol one of the most famous brands in the world
A lot of thought and planning often goes into the design of your favourite food and drink products.
But for this iconic beverage, its distinctive packaging came as a complete accident.
Angostura aromatic bitters, which was established in 1824 in Angostura, Venezuela, has a famously oversized label which doesn't properly wrap around the bottle.
READ MORE: Aussie chef reveals the one food trend in Australia that is here to stay
Angostura bitters have a quirky origin story. Twitter
READ MORE: Why everyone is obsessed with 'The Dip' recipe: 'The best thing you will ever make'
When original founder Dr. Johann Siegert died, his two sons took over the business and began entering their bitters brand into competitions around the world.
According to Angostura's website, one of the brothers oversaw the design of a new bottle, while the other was in charge of making the label.
The men "failed to consult each other" on the sizes of the bottle and packaging, resulting in an oversized label which was a few sizes too big.
"The error was spotted in time but each brother, and indeed everyone else, thought somebody would deal with the problem," the brand's origin story reads.
But when it was time for competition, they had no other choice than to enter the bitters with its baggy label.
As the story goes, Angostura didn't do well in the competition. However, one of the judges remarked on the bottle's packaging and convinced them it made the product stand out.
The packaging is oversized and gives the bitters brands a distinctive look. Instagram
READ MORE: The best food-storage containers for organised eaters
Their mistake was never fixed and now, over a century later, Angostura still has its distinctive oversized labels.
Twitter user Colin Landforce reminded the internet of Angostura's quirky history, surprising many fans of the historic bitters brand.
"They lost the contest but a judge pulled em aside and told em the wonky label made their product stand out," his Twitter thread read.
"They kept doing it and not only is Angostura one of the biggest brands in the space, their aesthetic dominates the category."
Angostura aromatic bitters are a major player in the cocktail and alcohol space. Drinks such as Manhattans, Negronis and an Old Fashioned use bitters in its recipe, while it's also an essential ingredient in the non-alcoholic pub favourite, lemon, lime and bitters.
The bitters are produced by House of Angostura in Trinidad and Tobago and a 200ml bottle will set you back just $20.95 at Dan Murphy's.
