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Sunkist (soft drink)

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Sunkist
TypeSoft Drink
ManufacturerSunkist Growers Incorporated, General Cinema Corporation
Country of origin USA
Introduced1978 (nation-wide)
Websitewww.sunkistsoda.com Edit this on Wikidata
File:Sunkist cola cans.jpg
2 Sunkist Soda cans, American (left) and Chinese (right)

Sunkist is a brand of orange- and lemonade-flavored soft drink launched in 1978.


Sunkist was first licensed by Sunkist Growers to General Cinema Corporation, the leading independent bottler of Pepsi-Cola products at the time. The soft drink was the idea of Mark Stevens, who foresaw the potential based on market research which indicated that, worldwide, orange was the third best selling soft drink flavor (largely due to The Coca-Cola Company's Fanta brand).

After extensive R&D during 1977 and early 1978, in which research was conducted on taste, color and carbonation levels, Sunkist made a grand introduction in New York by franchising it to The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of New York, where Edward F. O'Reilly was president. At the time of introduction, Sunkist Soft Drinks had only five key employees: Mark Stevens, President; Peter Murphy, VP Sales; Dr. John Leffingwell, VP R&D; Ray Sissom, VP Finance; and Jim DeDreu, NE Regional Manager. It went national soon thereafter by being franchised mainly to leading Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola bottlers. The advertising slogan was "fun, sun and the beach" using TV and radio commercials with the Beach Boys' hit song "Good Vibrations" as the brand's theme. In 1980, Sunkist Orange Soda became the #1 orange soda in the USA and the 10th best selling soft drink. Unlike many other competing orange sodas, Sunkist contains caffeine.

In late 1984, Sunkist Soft Drinks was sold to Del Monte. From late 1986 until 2008, it was produced by Cadbury Schweppes under license through its Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages subsidiary. Following the demerger of Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages from Cadbury Schweppes, it is now produced by Dr Pepper Snapple Group in the USA. Sunkist is still the most popular orange soda in the United States. Sunkist (as a carbonated soft drink) is sold in the UK by Vimto Soft Drinks under license from Sunkist Growers. It is also sold in Australia, but the Australian formulation is caffeine free. In Canada, a decaffeinated version of the orange drink is marketed as Cplus. The package indicates that there is a small amount of Sunkist Juice.


In Culture

The CW TV series, One Tree Hill has featured Sunkist.

Ingredients

(marked on 20oz. bottle):

Other flavors

Other flavors include:

Slogans

  • "Feel All Orange Inside." (2007-present)

Sources

  • Pruitt, Bettye H. (1994) “The Making of Harcourt General” Harvard Business School Press, pp. 106-107, 153, 173. ISBN 0-8758-4509-6. Google Book Search. Retrieved on March 28, 2008. Note – the individual mentioned as Mark Sobell is also known as Mark Stevens.
  • General Cinema talks with New York Security Analysts (October 18, 1978), pp.10-13, 20-23. "[1]" Retrieved on March 27, 2008.
  • Gardner, Fred (1982), "Sunkist - What's in a name?", Marketing and Media Decisions, Vol. 17, No. 6, Spring 1982 Special Issue, 15 Top Marketing Successes of 1981, pp. 149-155. "[2]" Retrieved on March 27, 2008.
  • Beverage World (May 1981), "Top 10 Soft Drink Brands", p. 49. "[3]" Retrieved on March 27, 2008.
  • Beverage World (March 1983), "Top 10 Soft Drink Brands for 1982", pp. 30-31. "[4]" Retrieved on March 27, 2008.
  • Stevens, Jerry E. (March 27, 1981), View points - Beverage history is made by a brand that didn't even exist 4 years ago", Beverage Industry, pp. 32,36 "[5]" Retrieved on March 27, 2008.
  • Sunkist Soft Drinks sale to DelMonte (R.J. Reynolds) (Oct. 14, 1984), Press clippings. "[6]" Retrieved on March 27, 2008.
  • 1984 Sunkist Ad featuring the "Good Vibrations" theme song, YouTube video "[7]" Retrieved on March 27, 2008.
  • 1984-85 Sunkist Ad featuring the "Good Vibrations" theme song, YouTube video "[8]" Retrieved on May 12, 2008.
  • Cadbury Schweppes purchases Canada Dry and Sunkist soft drinks from RJR (July 1986), New York Times (online) "[9]" Retrieved on March 27, 2008.
  • 1989 UK Sunkist Ad, YouTube video "[10]" Retrieved on May 28, 2008.
  • Official website
  • Beverage World - State of the Industry '06 [11]
  • Beverage World - State of the Industry '07 [12]
  • Beverage World - State of the Industry '08 [13]
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