Rooh Afza back in stores as Hamdard resumes production

Hamdard Laboratories' iconic Rooh Afza drink, which had gone missing from store shelves in peak summer season and during the Muslim fasting month of Ramzan, is back in production.

"We at Hamdard continue our long tradition of providing health and wellness to our customers," a statement from Hammad Ahmed, CEO at Hamdard, said, as reported by Mint. "As always, we strive to maintain and grow the relationships we have fostered with them."

Ahmed added that the production of the summer staple was on in full capacity and a "well-planned distribution infrastructure" would ensure reach across the country.

The announcement comes through amid speculation that a family feud at Hamdard was behind Rooh Afza's disappearance, even as the company had denied this.

Mansoor Ali, chief sales and marketing officer at Hamdard, had earlier said a shortage of herbal ingredients used to make the syrup was the reason for the shortage.

A Hamdard dealer, however, told Moneycontrol that they had been facing a shortage for all of the company's products over the past few months, not just Rooh Afza, undermining the ingredient shortage theory.

The shortage had affected many, with many taking to Twitter to rue its absence during Ramzan, in which Rooh Afza is considered a staple at the Iftaar (when the day-long Ramzan fast is broken). Sales of Rooh Afza grow 25 percent during the month.

Following widespread coverage of the shortage, Hamdard Pakistan, which does not officially export to India, had offered to export the required quantities for the Ramzan period, an NDTV report said.