Ever wondered about the origins of American Soda? Or why it’s not just called American Soda, but also American Pop? Or simply American drinks? What more is there to know about Coca-Cola and Pepsi? The same goes for Fanta and 7 Up. Root Beer and Iced Tea are quintessential American drinks. So what?
Well, hold on to your hats for a fizzy fact finding safari through American soda…
1. The Origins of American Soda (and American Pop)
Soda was invented in the early 1800s. It was the result of entrepreneurs trying to copy naturally sparkling spring water. These waters contained sodium, a common mineral. But it wasn’t easy to collect mineral water. And it was even harder to store it as it quickly lost its sparkle.
“Taking mineral waters” was a fashionable pastime. It was also seen as a cure for all manner of ailments. The entrepreneurs knew this and the race was on! In 1809 a method was finally patented in the USA. It involved mixing water with bicarbonate of soda and an acid. American soda was thus born. The method has evolved over more than two hundred years. There are now more flavours and variations than anyone could have imagined back in 1809!
So the word “soda” is thought to be derived from sodium. Although it could just be named after soda as in bicarbonate of. Nobody knows. Likewise, “Pop” probably comes from the sound of a fizzy drink being opened. Or to put it another way “pop goes the soda!”
Coca-Cola + PepsiCo = Big Business in American Soda Market
American Soda is a multi-billion dollar industry. Just Coca-Cola and PepsiCocombined accounted for $100 billion in 2016. Which is probably almost the same number of Coke and Pepsi drinks actually sold! Seeing as each drink sells for around just a dollar or two.
You might not know that Mountain Dew is a PepsiCo brand. Nor that Fanta is owned by Coca-Cola. But more about these two American drinks brands later.
Coca-Cola has especially penetrated the American psyche. So much so that “Cokelore” is well-established in the language of American pop.
CEO
Candy Corner Group Ltd
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