Refreshment stall hosts
If you want to serve cordial from a glass bottle, plan where the bottle will stand and how you will protect it while loading and serving.
Who is this for?
Visitors bringing drinks for a small group
A 500 ml concentrate can be mixed as needed, provided you bring water and follow the chosen bottle’s dilution and opened-bottle storage instructions.
Occasional drink sellers
If you intend to sell or supply refreshments, check how food-business guidance applies to the frequency and scope of your activity before the event.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the organiser’s glass rules and your serving setup. Then check the exact drink’s label rather than assuming cordials share a dilution ratio or storage period.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle and handling | Confirm the pack material and the organiser’s glass rules. Plan protected transport and a stable place to serve. | I want to use a glass bottle on the table, but need to carry and place it where it is less likely to be knocked over. |
| Dilution and supplies | Read the exact flavour’s mixing directions. Belvoir Farm specifies one part Lime Cordial to eight parts water; other products may differ. Bring water and cups if serving mixed drinks. | How many drinks am I preparing, and will I have enough water and serving containers at the stall? |
| Flavour and label | Compare flavours, ingredients, allergens and nutrition per serving on the chosen bottle. Belvoir Farm lists 11 g sugars per 250 ml serving for Lime Cordial diluted 1:8; that figure does not describe its Elderflower cordial. | I want a flavour the group will drink, with label information I can check for anyone avoiding a particular ingredient. |
| Storage | Check unopened storage and how long the chosen cordial can be kept after opening. Belvoir Farm instructs buyers to refrigerate its Lime Cordial after opening and use it within three weeks. | If some cordial remains after the event, I need to be able to store it as its label directs. |
| Selling drinks | Ask the relevant local authority whether your planned activity requires food-business registration. Food Standards Agency guidance distinguishes activities that may constitute a food business from very limited, infrequent event activity. | I am planning to sell or supply drinks, rather than just bring refreshments for my own group. |
What could complicate serving?
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Choosing glass without a handling plan
A retailer flags the fragility of Bottlegreen Elderflower’s glass bottle. Breakage would disrupt the refreshment setup and leave broken glass to deal with.
Carry bottles upright in a divided crate or padded bag, place them away from the stall edge, and check the organiser’s glass rules.
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Bringing concentrate but no water or cups
Cordial needs to be diluted before serving, and mixing directions differ by product. Belvoir Farm specifies 1:8 for its Lime Cordial.
Use the exact bottle’s directions to plan how much water and how many cups to bring.
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Assuming every cordial has the same ingredients
Flavours have their own recipes and nutrition information. Belvoir Farm lists 11 g sugars per 250 ml serving for its Lime Cordial when diluted 1:8; that figure cannot be applied to another flavour.
Check the current bottle’s ingredients, allergen declaration and nutrition panel for the drink you will serve.
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Assuming an occasional stall is automatically exempt
Food Standards Agency guidance says selling, preparing or distributing food or drink may amount to a food business, while a local authority may decide that registration is unnecessary for very limited and infrequent event activity. Drinks supplied should still be safe.
Describe your planned activity and its frequency to the relevant local authority before trading.
Glass-bottle cordial brands to consider
These brand examples identify particular glass-bottle cordial ranges or flavours; check the exact product label before applying one flavour’s instructions to another.
Robinsons
Robinsons describes its 500 ml Fruit Cordials range as coming in glass bottles designed for the dinner table. Its listed flavours include Elderflower, Lime & Mint, Raspberry & Rhubarb, and Ginger & Orange.
- Glass packaging is stated for the Fruit Cordials range.
- Check the chosen flavour’s dilution, ingredients and storage instructions on its bottle.
bottlegreen
bottlegreen says its cordials can be diluted to taste with still or sparkling water. DDC Foods and DrinkSupermarket identify its 500 ml Elderflower Cordial pack as glass.
- Elderflower offers a documented 500 ml glass-bottle route for serving diluted drinks.
- Protect the glass in transit and check the exact flavour’s current label for ingredients and storage.
Belvoir Farm
KFF identifies Belvoir Farm Elderflower Cordial as a 500 ml glass-bottle product. Belvoir Farm’s separate Lime Cordial has its own stated 1:8 dilution and storage instructions.
- The Elderflower glass pack provides another cordial flavour to consider for a table setup.
- Do not apply the Lime Cordial’s dilution, nutrition or storage details to Elderflower without checking its label.
Joybuy ready-to-drink alternatives
These ready-to-drink options are for a car boot sale setup where you prefer individual drinks without mixing cordial. They are not glass-bottle squash or cordial.
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Ribena Pineapple and Passion Fruit Juice Drink No Added Sugar, 12 × 500 ml
A 12-bottle ready-to-drink option for serving several people without mixing cordial. This is a juice drink rather than glass-bottle squash; check the current label for ingredients, including the stated source of phenylalanine from aspartame, if relevant to anyone being served.
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Woongjin Nature’s Marlin Peach Zero PET, 500 ml
A single ready-to-drink option in a 500 ml PET bottle when glass is unsuitable. It is not a cordial, so it does not offer a dilute-to-order serving route.
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Coca-Cola Peach Soda, 3 × 500 ml
A three-bottle ready-to-drink soft drink option for a small group when mixing cordial is impractical. It is not glass-bottle squash or cordial; check the current nutrition label if sugar per 100 ml matters to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take glass-bottle cordial to a car boot sale?
Glass-bottle cordial can work at a controlled refreshment table if you can transport and serve it securely. Robinsons identifies its Fruit Cordials as glass-bottled, while trade listings identify glass packs for bottlegreen Elderflower and Belvoir Farm Elderflower. Check the particular organiser’s glass rules before taking bottles.
How much water should I bring for cordial?
Follow the mixing directions for the exact flavour you buy and plan water for the number of drinks you intend to serve. Belvoir Farm specifies one part Lime Cordial to eight parts water, but that direction should not be assumed for another product.
Can I sell mixed cordial drinks at a car boot sale?
You may need to register as a food business, depending on what you do and how often. Food Standards Agency guidance says selling, handling, preparing or distributing food or drink may bring an activity within food-business registration; for very limited and infrequent event activity, the local authority may decide registration is unnecessary. Ask the relevant authority about your plans before trading, and ensure drinks supplied are safe.
What should I check for someone avoiding an ingredient?
Use the current label for the exact drink being served to check its ingredients and allergen declaration. Keep the packaging accessible while preparing drinks so you can refer to it rather than relying on details from another flavour.
How should I store cordial left over after the event?
Follow the opened-bottle instructions for that product. Belvoir Farm directs buyers to refrigerate its Lime Cordial after opening and use it within three weeks; do not apply that period to a different cordial without checking its label.