A British entrepreneur who launched a rival to Coca-Cola from her kitchen has sold nearly two billion cans worldwide in just over 18 months.
Aykiz Shah, 27, launched Salaam Cola in October 2023 with no outside funding – spending just $200 (£160) on a few sample cans to get started.
The mom-of-three reached a €6 million ($6.4 million) turnover across Europe in 2024 – including over $2 million from UK sales alone – by selling her 85¢ cans and $1.25 bottles.
Having previously worked in recipe development for a beverage company, Aykiz used her experience to formulate the original recipe herself and secured a manufacturing partner in Turkey.
Explaining why Salaam Cola contains no aspartame, she said: “I wouldn’t include something that could harm people’s health.”
Working from her kitchen in Brentford, West London, she pitched her product to beverage distributors across the UK – four of whom agreed to pay upfront, helping fund the very first production run.
She then used TikTok and Instagram to spread the word about the brand and its mission: to support displaced and injured Palestinians through charitable giving.
Named after the Arabic greeting “Salaam,” meaning peace, the drink quickly gained traction – landing on the shelves of grocery stores, fast food chains, and minority-owned retailers across the UK.
Today, Salaam Cola is a global brand, having sold over 1.9 billion cans in 16 countries across four continents, and offering a variety of unique formulas and flavors.
A huge part of the drink’s appeal lies in its ethics-first approach – the company donates 10% of all proceeds to charitable causes. In 2024 alone, Salaam gave $315,000 (£250,000) to charity from UK sales.
Aykiz believes the company’s commitment to giving back has been the single biggest driver of its explosive growth.
“We wanted to create an ethical beverage – something that allows people to enjoy a soda while also giving back to communities facing poverty or malnutrition,” she said.
“It sends a powerful message. We’re partnered with Muslims in Need, a registered nonprofit.
“Each month, we calculate the funds owed and send the donation. But it’s not just financial – we work directly with the charity, like helping open schools for Palestinian children displaced to Egypt.”
She continued: “I do think many people were searching for ethical brands – especially in light of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement and controversies involving Coca-Cola in the U.S., including its ties to ICE and immigrant labor practices.
“Legacy brands have lost trust. We’ve built a brand that puts people first – and that authenticity draws in both distributors and customers.
“Giving back is part of who we are – it’s in our DNA as Muslims. What’s even more inspiring is that many of our partners choose to donate an additional 10% on top of what we give.”
Salaam Cola also posts monthly social media updates showing where the donations are going.
“People feel good about buying a drink that supports causes they believe in. It’s a win-win,” she said. “That’s why Salaam Cola has become more than a brand – it’s a movement.”
“For me personally, it’s been life-changing. What we’ve built in 18 months takes most people years, even decades.”
Despite employing a second team member in the UK in mid-2024, Aykiz still runs the business from her kitchen island – managing global operations while juggling motherhood.
The brand has since expanded into other flavors, each with its own charitable mission. The original Salaam Cola supports Palestine, while its sugar-free version – Seriously No Sugar – raises funds for Syria.
New product lines include:
- Yemonade, which supports malnourished children in Yemen with medical aid and food.
- Lebanorange, a soon-to-launch flavor created to help vulnerable communities in Lebanon.
Though initially focused on the Middle East, Aykiz was surprised by the diverse global support for her mission – including from British actor Sean Ward, who volunteers regularly with Salaam’s charity projects.
“I thought it would be a mostly Muslim customer base,” she said. “But we’ve had incredible support from people of all backgrounds.
“Yes, many of our distributors are Muslim-owned businesses, but just as many are not. The values we represent are universal.”
She added: “There’s still a lot of love in the world, despite all the negativity.
“We’ve helped provide medical care for 10,000 Palestinian children, especially burn victims at Al-Nasr hospital in Egypt.
“In Syria, we sponsor orphans’ education and are rebuilding a mosque destroyed in the conflict.
“And in Yemen, our community kitchen feeds families battling one of the worst hunger crises on the planet.”
Reflecting on her journey, Aykiz remains deeply grateful to the original four UK distributors – in London, Glasgow, the Midlands, and Lancashire – who took a chance on her idea.
“They each prepaid for a full container of Salaam and resold it,” she said. “Four buyers doesn’t sound like a lot – and everything was riding on their success. But somehow, it just took off.”
As a female entrepreneur in the male-dominated beverage industry, Aykiz is proud to be breaking barriers – all while wearing a burqa and veil.
“I think the drinks industry is cutthroat for everyone, but especially for women,” she said.
“I’m a conservative Muslim and I dress modestly – so I know I’m challenging stereotypes. But people really love the product, and they enjoy working with me.
“I’m not judged by how I look, and that’s something I want other women to feel – that they can succeed regardless of their appearance.”
Now a mother of three – with a newborn, a two-year-old, and a seven-year-old – Aykiz says her husband, Mohammad, 36, has been a constant source of strength.
“I try not to let the stress get to me,” she said. “But the truth is, in the beginning I was getting maybe 2–3 hours of sleep a night.
“I was running meetings with U.S. and Canadian partners in the middle of the night. Living on coffee. I didn’t know what I was doing – I was figuring it out day by day.”
Looking back, she added: “I honestly don’t know how it happened. I just believe it’s part of God’s plan.”
