Big Red (drink)
Encyclopedia
Big Red is a soft drink
that was created by Grover C. Thomsen
and R.H. Roark in Waco, Texas
(1937) and originally known as Sun Tang Red Cream Soda. It is generally considered to be one of many American varieties of cream soda
, and is the original "red cream soda". The name was changed to "Sun Tang Big Red Cream Soda" in 1959, and to "Big Red" in 1969 by Harold Jansing, then president of the San Antonio bottling plant, after hearing a golf caddy refer to the soda by that name. Until the late 1970s, it was marketed exclusively in Central and South Texas and around Louisville, Kentucky
, including parts of Southern Indiana. The drink is highly popular in the Southern United States
and is well known for its unique taste and red color. Its unique taste, though often thought to be bubble gum, is created by mixing orange and lemon oils with the traditional vanilla used in other cream sodas. Big Red is produced and distributed by various independent soft drink bottlers including: Dr Pepper Snapple Group
, CCE, and Pepsi Bottling Group under license from Big Red, Inc., based in Waco, Texas. Frequently several other red drinks have been produced (such as Mountain Dew's Code Red), but have failed to gain the same popularity as Big Red.
Big Red was the sixth-highest selling soft drink company in the United States from 2002–2004, after Coca-Cola
, Pepsi
, Dr Pepper/7Up
, Cott
, and National Beverage Company. As a preeminent red creme soda in the South
, it is a staple of many Juneteenth
celebrations.
In 2007, Big Red Ltd. was purchased by Gary Smith with the backing from Citigroup Venture Capital
and Goldman Sachs
. Gary Smith now serves as the Chairman & CEO of Big Red and All Sport
, Inc. In 2008, Dr Pepper Snapple Group
purchased a minority interest in Big Red, Inc. Dr Pepper distributes almost 80% of the product that Big Red sells annually.
, NuGrape
, G Pure Energy, Thomas Kemper
, SANS Natural Diet Soda and more.
, High fructose corn syrup
or Sugar, natural and artificial flavor, red #40, Citric acid
, and Caffeine
.
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
that was created by Grover C. Thomsen
Grover C. Thomsen
Grover Cleveland Thomsen was a Danish-American chemist who co-invented Big Red soda with his coworker R.H. Roark. While working for Perfection Barber and Beauty Supply in Waco, Texas, they began making flavoring extracts...
and R.H. Roark in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
(1937) and originally known as Sun Tang Red Cream Soda. It is generally considered to be one of many American varieties of cream soda
Cream soda
Cream soda is a sweet carbonated soft drink, often flavored with vanilla.-History and development:A recipe for cream soda—written by E.M. Sheldon and published in Michigan Farmer in 1852—called for water, cream of tartar, Epsom salts, sugar, tartaric acid, egg, and milk, to be mixed together, then...
, and is the original "red cream soda". The name was changed to "Sun Tang Big Red Cream Soda" in 1959, and to "Big Red" in 1969 by Harold Jansing, then president of the San Antonio bottling plant, after hearing a golf caddy refer to the soda by that name. Until the late 1970s, it was marketed exclusively in Central and South Texas and around Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, including parts of Southern Indiana. The drink is highly popular in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
and is well known for its unique taste and red color. Its unique taste, though often thought to be bubble gum, is created by mixing orange and lemon oils with the traditional vanilla used in other cream sodas. Big Red is produced and distributed by various independent soft drink bottlers including: Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. is an American soft drink company, based in Plano, Texas.It was spun off from Britain's Cadbury Schweppes, on May 5, 2008, with trading in its shares starting on May 7, 2008...
, CCE, and Pepsi Bottling Group under license from Big Red, Inc., based in Waco, Texas. Frequently several other red drinks have been produced (such as Mountain Dew's Code Red), but have failed to gain the same popularity as Big Red.
Big Red was the sixth-highest selling soft drink company in the United States from 2002–2004, after Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, Dr Pepper/7Up
Dr Pepper/Seven Up
Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. was a Plano, Texas-based soft-drink manufacturing company created by the merger of Dr Pepper, Inc. and The Seven Up Company on May 19, 1986. The merger was a result of the independent bailouts of both companies and the subsequent FTC blockage of a Dr Pepper merger with...
, Cott
Cott
The Cott Corporation is a leading supplier of private label carbonated soft drinks distributing to Canada, the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Europe. In addition to producing many private-label beverages for retailers, Cott also has a large and growing portfolio of its own brands...
, and National Beverage Company. As a preeminent red creme soda in the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, it is a staple of many Juneteenth
Juneteenth
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in the United States honoring African American heritage by commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. State of Texas in 1865...
celebrations.
In 2007, Big Red Ltd. was purchased by Gary Smith with the backing from Citigroup Venture Capital
Citigroup Venture Capital
Citigroup Venture Capital is the name used by several private equity firms that had historical ties to Citigroup.* Citigroup Venture Capital Equity Partners - a U.S. based private equity firm renamed Court Square Capital Partners and spun out of Citigroup in 2006* CVC Capital Partners - a European...
and Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
. Gary Smith now serves as the Chairman & CEO of Big Red and All Sport
All Sport
All Sport is a brand of sports drink similar to Gatorade and Powerade. It was created by PepsiCo, as their response to The Coca-Cola Company's Powerade and Stokely-Van Camp's Gatorade, now owned by PepsiCo...
, Inc. In 2008, Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. is an American soft drink company, based in Plano, Texas.It was spun off from Britain's Cadbury Schweppes, on May 5, 2008, with trading in its shares starting on May 7, 2008...
purchased a minority interest in Big Red, Inc. Dr Pepper distributes almost 80% of the product that Big Red sells annually.
Divisions
Big Red, Inc. has another division, North American Beverages Products, under which it owns and licenses the Nesbitt'sNesbitt's
Nesbitt's was a popular brand of orange-flavored soda pop in the United States during much of the 20th century. Nesbitt's was produced by the Nesbitt Fruit Products Company of Los Angeles, California...
, NuGrape
NuGrape
NuGrape is a brand of grape-flavored soda pop. The NuGrape brand was invented in 1906, first bottled in 1921, and by April 1933, The National NuGrape Company was founded in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1922, licensing rights were sold to the Olla Bottling Works in Olla, Louisiana where it was made and...
, G Pure Energy, Thomas Kemper
Thomas Kemper
Thomas Kemper is a brewer of root beer, ginger ale, and other craft brewed sodas under the Thomas Kemper Soda Co. label. Formerly owned by Pyramid Breweries, Inc., it was sold in 2007 to Adventure Funds of Portland, Oregon, which is running the company under the Kemper Co. name. Thomas Kemper...
, SANS Natural Diet Soda and more.
Ingredients
Carbonated waterCarbonated water
Carbonated water is water into which carbon dioxide gas under pressure has been dissolved, a process that causes the water to become effervescent....
, High fructose corn syrup
High fructose corn syrup
High-fructose corn syrup — also called glucose-fructose syrup in the UK, glucose/fructose in Canada, and high-fructose maize syrup in other countries — comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce...
or Sugar, natural and artificial flavor, red #40, Citric acid
Citric acid
Citric acid is a weak organic acid. It is a natural preservative/conservative and is also used to add an acidic, or sour, taste to foods and soft drinks...
, and Caffeine
Caffeine
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
.
Flavors
- Diet Big Red
- Caffeine Free Diet Big Red
- Big Red Vanilla Float
- Sugar Free Big Red Vanilla Float
- Big Blue
- Big Peach
- Big Pineapple
- Big Punch Fruit Punch
- Big Honey Lemonade
- Red Jak (energy drink)
- Big Orange
- Retro Big Red (sweetened with sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup)
- The Color red