The recent objection of the [Saudi] Ministry of Commerce to the brand name Zamzam Cola may have come as a relief to the two American cola giants boycotted for the past 18 months over US's double standards on Palestine. An official of one of these companies, who spoke on condition of anonymity, admitted that the boycott affected their sales. However, he ridiculed the idea that other colas would capture their market. The two American colas and their other aerated drinks have a nearly 85% share of the Saudi market. Pepsi continues to be the leader in this market. Coca-Cola reentered it late, after a long ban, but was able to make inroads into the Pepsi market.

For many years these two giants have been involved in their own cola war, each trying to undermine the other by advertisements, sponsorships, prizes and other gimmicks. The boycott led to the entry of more than half dozen colas from elsewhere in the world. Zamzam Cola from Iran was one such product and it caught the imagination of Saudis due to its very Islamic name. It quickly made its presence felt in the market, but Pepsi and Coca-Cola officials shrugged off the threat. They say that the impact of the boycott is diminishing; especially now the Iraq war is over. Supermarkets have confirmed this. A counter salesman at Al-Wesham Supermarket in Dammam said that people are gradually returning to Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Most fast food chains, local and foreign both, sell only the two American colas, and customers have little choice but to buy them. Zamzam Cola is the only drink with the potential to make a dent into the market of these American soft drink companies.