Dubai: Ramadan has started, which means one thing: Vimto fever is back on.

Over the years, Gulf residents have made it almost a tradition to have the purple drink stacked on the table during Iftars.

Its sugary content and strong flavour may be the key ingredients for maintaining the yearly Ramadan trend, as fans of the drink agree that it does give them a much-needed spike in their energy level.

Ramadan without Vimto is like fasting without eating a Date or drinking water.#MyVimto — سكارف ابو فيمتو (@ThePurpleScarf) June 2, 2016

But when did the craving start?

The soft drink was first manufactured in Manchester in 1908, using grape, blackcurrant, and raspberry flavouring – and lots of sugar.

Vimto first made its way to the Middle East as far back as 1927, when Abdulla Aujan & Brothers - Saudi commodity traders - expanded into the beverage sector and acquired the exclusive rights to import and distribute the dark-coloured juice.

And the drink’s popularity has hardly dwindled since.

The latest sales figures on Vimto Arabia’s official website show just how popular the drink is. In 2011, more than 31 million bottles of the concentrated juice were sold in the Gulf, which is enough to make more than 440 million 250ml glasses of the drink.

On its website, the company also said more than half of 2011’s total sales occurred either in the run-up to Ramadan or during the month itself.