Can someone explain ownerships when it comes to soft drinks?

[ctechbob]

Not sure that really matters. I was under the impression that the sugar or HFCS was already added to the syrup at their syrup plant in Atlanta before being shipped around the world. Apparently they can change the amount or type of sugar depending on specific requirements. Some countries like it less sweet.

At least in the case for Dr. Pepper, when they made that documentary I liked a few posts back, they got JUST the concentrate, it had to be sweetened and diluted/carbonated at the bottler. Whether that holds true for other brands/products I have no idea.

 

[Snowflake White]

I much prefer the real sugar stuff over HFCS. Tastes a lot cleaner and has no slimy aftertaste.

Exactly, Coca Cola tried to claim that there is no real taste difference between cane sugar and HFCS, but I've been around since before they changed over back in 1984 and there is a very BIG difference as you mentioned. Cane sugar coke has a clean mouth feel, is slightly less sweet, and has a sharp/crisp, and bright cola flavor, HFCS on the other hand has a duller more flat flavor profile, and a weird aftertaste and slimy mouth feel.

That's why I don't by Coca Cola primarily anymore, I don't want to buy much more expensive mexican coke either.

Pepsi caved in back in the mid 2010s and brought out Pepsi with their original formula made with real cane sugar, which also does away with the nasty citric acid ingredient that they started to add back in the early 90s as well. While Coke would be my preferential taste they lost me with their refusal to make it with real sugar in the USA. The Pepsi is made with real sugar and made here in the USA and doesn't cost much more than the HFCS version.

 

[Jarlaxle]

I checked some things and saw where one pallet (not sure of the height) can hold about 3500 16oz bottles. You can only fit around 26 pallets in a 53' semi-trailer or 91,000 bottles. That's not a lot for a production facility.

You are right about the trailers - they know how tall they are and how much weight they can stack on a pallet so they'll fill it to the top if they can.

I vaguely recall the guy saying bout 6200 cans to a pallet. These weren't standard pallets-they were custom built to STUFF that trailer. Seriously: it had about 6" of floor space in a 53' box.

 

[Hall]

That's certainly believable. The 3500 # I found was for bottles anyone off the street could purchase and the pallet height would be more typical height vs something that is optimized for a dedicated trailer.

 

[PimTac]

I remember back when 7Up was its own company. The stuff was great. Now it has a strange aftertaste to me. That started some years ago and I stopped drinking it.

Now I don’t drink any sugary sodas. Flavored seltzer water with zero sugar is my choice.

 

[Hall]

The stuff was great. Now it has a strange aftertaste to me. That started some years ago and I stopped drinking it.

They, like all 'large' beverage companies, use HFCS now. Think it could be when they switched from (cane) sugar to HFCS ? Pepsi did, and may still, produce cane sugar versions but in smaller quantities. Not sure if there are 7Up versions like this that you could try (if you're even interested anymore).

 

[Barkleymut]

This really intense.
Congress should appoint a special prosecutor to look into this.

Please don't give Congress any ideas........

 

[javacontour]

Coca-Cola Bottles With a Yellow Cap Return in 2020 — But Only For a Limited Time...

Coca-Cola bottles with a yellow cap return in 2020 to stores in select areas through the United States — but only for a limited time, because..

thegate.boardingarea.com

Dang, I get about 20-40g of carbs in snacks per day on my eating plan. One 12oz Coke would do me in.

Up to 60g/meal and 195g/day. I can go to 40g in snacks if I've kept my meals below the 60g threshold.

Therefore, about one Coke Zero each day. I think the last regular Coke I had was in 2012 in Florence Italy. I was feeling a little out of energy after a day in the hot sun walking around the city and needed more than just water. I was going to "bonk" on the street.

Looking at the bottle reminds me why I don't drink conventional soft drinks. Diet or sugar free flavored seltzer waters.

 

[Gene K]

Some bottling plants / distributors are owned by the corporation and some by other individuals or groups. Some brands are owned by the two majors (Pepsi/Mt Dew and Coke/Mello Yello for instance) and others such as Dr Pepper are independent.

This got it's birth in the old days when it wasn't efficient for Coke to transport all that product or invest in all the infrastructure. They turned to people that already had bottling equipment and a local distribution system in place as franchisees.

The majors have been slowly purchasing up the franchises, however independents still exist. The local bottling plant / owner here used to have a vanity plate back in the 80's/90's that was "Coke Man". Not sure if Coke has bought him out.

 

[bunnspecial]

For many years, my grandfather lived in the town of West Jefferson, NC, which is home to an old, independent bottling plant by the name of West Jefferson Dr. Pepper.

They make bulk fountain drinks, but also bottle a lot of older brands in glass bottles(and their glass bottle drinks are made with cane sugar). Aside from Dr. Pepper, they also do RC, Nehi, and Sunkist. I think they also do Cheerwine, but I've never seen bottle caps with their name on them. Of note, though, is that they also bottle Mt. Dew. Their Mt. Dew franchise ownership predates the brand being owned by Pepsi and consequently they are able to still bottle it despite being owned by Dr. Pepper.

West Jefferson is really careful about selling Dr. Pepper and Mt. Dew outside their distribution area, so you're not likely to find it outside northwest NC/southwest VA/far east TN. For that reason, they're not as well known as Dublin Dr. Pepper. Still, though, speciality soda shops or sections in stores have become a "thing" in the last few years, and if you browse one and pick up a glass bottle of RC, Sunkist or Nehi the cap will likely be marked for them.

 

[measureman]

Please don't give Congress any ideas........

Why not?
They need all the help they can get.

 

[Jarlaxle]

That's certainly believable. The 3500 # I found was for bottles anyone off the street could purchase and the pallet height would be more typical height vs something that is optimized for a dedicated trailer.

Not dedicated trailer-it was a standard 53' van. Just dedicated loading and pallets.

 

[y_p_w]

I found this website that gives access to various Pepsi distributors. The have an "other brands" category that I suppose are for Pepsi distributors to sell non-Pepsi products. They seem to include Dr Pepper, Schweppes, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Dole, Big Red, etc.

OTHER BRANDS | PepsiCo Partners

pepsicopartners.com

 

[PimTac]

Looking at the bottle reminds me why I don't drink conventional soft drinks. Diet or sugar free flavored seltzer waters.

Those are my go to drinks now if I want something other than coffee or water. You do have to read the labels though to make sure there are no real or fake sugars.

 

[Snowflake White]

I'm glad to see that Pepsi in the USA has finally brought back their "Pepsi Made With Real Sugar" which seemed to be discontinued mid 2020.
If you missed this look at your favorite major brand grocery store it is probably back in stock or will be shortly. If you don't see it return call Pepsico and let them know you want it at your local stores.

 

[pbm]

The only soda that I drink is 'club soda' or seltzer....the rest is SUGARED (or worse yet...high fructose corn syrup) garbage....and 'diet drinks' are even less healthy.....they should never have gotten FDA approval, IMO.

PS: I won't knowingly buy any products made by Coca Cola (even their 'healthy' products like Minute Maid OJ) because of their HYPOCRISY (criticizing American policies while giving a free pass to communist China....even sponsoring the Beijing Olympics....all for PROFIT (expanding market share)....that's as HYPOCRITICAL as you can get.

 

[Barkleymut]

This really intense.
Congress should appoint a special prosecutor to look into this.

Then they would all end up being owned by Amazon, then they would break up that darn monopoly

 

[vavavroom]

I didn't read through the whole thread so the following may have already been mentioned.

The OP brought up "bottled under the authority of" which means "by permission of." Let's say the BITOG Bottling Company (BITOG Bot Co) in Hopalong, Missouri buys soft drink syrup from Coca Cola, mixes it with water according to specs, bottles it, and sells it as genuine Coca Cola. The majority of Coca Cola products is bottled not by Coca Cola but by independent bottling facilities over the world.

The flavors are trade secrets, legally protected and guarded. The Coca Cola flavor is basically orange, caramel, and cinnamon.

 

[97prizm]

According to the Coca-cola driver when I worked for a supermarket, the recipe is the same. He told me that in some cases the "Concentrate " comes in 3,000 gallon rail cars and is blended at the plant. Denver has a really large bottling plant for Coke and Pepsi. Dr. Pepper/snapple group is its own company.

 

[97prizm]

Real cola naturally has some caffeine, when made from the Kola nut. Red bull made an awesome real cola, but stopped as they deemed it too expensive, without enough people buying it for them to continue.