A.J. Canfield Company facts for kids
| Industry | Soda Beverage Producer |
|---|---|
| Fate | Sold to Select Beverages in 1995, which later came under ownership of Keurig Dr Pepper |
| Founded | Chicago, Illinois, US (1924) |
| Founder | Arthur J. Canfield |
| Defunct | 1995 |
| Headquarters |
Chicago, Illinois
,
United States
|
|
Area served
|
US Midwest region |
| Products | soft drinks |
| Brands | Canfield's Diet Chocolate Fudge Canfield's 50/50 Canfield's Dry Ginger Ale Grandpa Graf's Swiss Creme |
The A.J. Canfield Company was a soda company from Chicago. It started in 1924 and made fizzy drinks. Later on, the company became famous for making drinks with unique flavors. One popular flavor was Canfield's Diet Chocolate Fudge. The Canfield family sold the company in 1995 to another company called Select Beverages.
Company History
The A.J. Canfield Company began in 1924. It was founded by Arthur J. Canfield, who used to work for the railroad. The first company location was in Chicago, Illinois.
Unique Bottles and Marketing
For many years, Canfield's used a special way to sell its drinks. They used unique glass bottles that were different from other soda companies. These bottles could only be returned to the Canfield's factory. Most other companies used plain bottles that could be returned anywhere.
Canfield's wanted people to think their drinks and bottles were better quality. This idea had mixed results. Some stores did not want to sell Canfield's sodas. This was because it was extra work to return the special bottles. Canfield's also used strong wooden cases to deliver their bottles. This helped stop the bottles from breaking.
Canfield's used these special glass bottles until the mid-1970s. Around 1976, they switched to plastic bottles. These new plastic bottles looked like old-fashioned milk bottles. This change happened at the same time as their "Come Taste The Rainbow" advertising campaign. Many new fruit-flavored sodas were added to their product line then.
Company Sale and Closure
Canfield's advertised a lot on Channel 9 in Chicago. This continued until 1995, when the company was sold. Select Beverages bought the company from the Canfield family.
Canfield's largest factory was in Chicago. It closed in December 1995. In 1998, Select Beverages was bought by the American Bottling Company. This company was later taken over by Keurig Dr Pepper.
Canfield's Products
Canfield's made many different kinds of soft drinks. They were known for their interesting and sometimes unusual flavors.
- Canfield's 50/50 was a soda that tasted like grapefruit and lime.
- Canfield's Diet Chocolate Fudge was a very popular and unique diet soda.
- Canfield's Dry was a type of ginger ale.
- Grandpa Graf's was another brand of soda they produced.
- Swiss Creme Soda was a creamy soda flavor.
- Mickey Melon was a watermelon drink. It was made with Mickey Rooney, a famous actor.
- Club soda and Tonic water were also part of their product line.
- Anna Banana and Honee Orange were other fruit-flavored sodas.
- Hula Punch and Red Pop were also popular choices.
