Canada Dry facts for kids
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| Type | Soft drink |
|---|---|
| Owner | Keurig Dr Pepper |
| Country | Canada |
| Introduced | 1904 |
| Markets | Canada, United States, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Europe, Japan, Turkey, Middle East, Africa |
| Previous owners | Cadbury (1986–2008) Canada Dry Ginger Ale Inc. (1923–1986) John J. McLaughlin family (1904–1923) |
Canada Dry is a well-known brand of soft drinks. It started in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1904. Since 2008, it has been owned by an American company called Keurig Dr Pepper. For over 100 years, Canada Dry has been famous for its ginger ale. However, the company also makes other soft drinks and mixers. Even though it began in Canada, Canada Dry is now made in many countries around the world. These include the United States, Japan, and several countries in Europe.
Contents
What Does "Dry" Mean?
The word "Dry" in Canada Dry means that the drink is not very sweet. It's like how some wines are called "dry" because they aren't sweet. When John J. McLaughlin first made his new soft drink, he called it "Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale." It was much less sweet than other ginger ales at the time. So, he used "dry" to describe its taste.
The Story of Canada Dry
In 1890, a Canadian pharmacist and chemist named John J. McLaughlin opened a carbonated water factory in Toronto. He had learned about making soda in New York. In 1904, McLaughlin created his special "Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale."
A few years later, in 1907, the drink became popular enough to be served to the Governor General of Canada. This is like a special royal approval! The original label, which showed a beaver on a map of Canada, was then changed. It became the crown and shield design you see today.
Canada Dry became very popular in New York. Because of this, McLaughlin opened a factory there. After he passed away in 1914, his brother, Samuel McLaughlin, ran the company for a short time. In 1923, a group of people bought the business and formed Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Inc.
Canada Dry became even more popular during Prohibition in the United States. During this time, it was illegal to sell alcohol. People would mix Canada Dry with homemade drinks. Its strong flavor helped to hide the taste of these drinks. In the 1930s, Canada Dry started selling its products all over the world. From the 1950s onwards, the company began to offer many more types of drinks.
Over the years, Canada Dry has been owned by different companies. In 1982, Dr Pepper bought Canada Dry. Later, in 1986, Cadbury Schweppes bought the soft drink business. Today, Canada Dry is part of Keurig Dr Pepper, which became a separate company from Cadbury Schweppes in 2008.
Lawsuits About "Real Ginger"
In 2019, Canada Dry faced some lawsuits in the United States. Some customers said that the company's advertising, which claimed the drink was "made from real ginger," was misleading. They felt there wasn't enough ginger flavor to taste it. They also thought the slogan meant the drink was made from chopped or powdered ginger root, not just a small amount of ginger extract.
To settle these lawsuits in the US, Canada Dry decided to stop using the "made from real ginger" claim there. They also offered money to affected customers.
Around the same time, a similar lawsuit was started in Canada. However, Canadian food rules are different. They say an ingredient can be called "real" if it's in the food, no matter its form (like frozen, powdered, or concentrated). Canada Dry Mott's Inc. agreed to pay some money to settle the Canadian lawsuit. But they did not have to change their product labels or advertising in Canada.
Marketing and Ads
Nylon Studios created the music for a Canada Dry Ginger Ale commercial called "Jack's Farm," which featured a rabbit. A version of this ad was also made in Cantonese, a Chinese language.
See also
In Spanish: Canada Dry para niños
- Canada Dry–Gazelle
- List of Canadian inventions and discoveries
Images for kids
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An old Canada Dry sign on a building in Iran in 2011
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A 1916 newspaper ad for Canada Dry
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A can of Canada Dry Ginger Ale with an older logo at Lake Louise
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A Canada Dry building in Saint-Laurent, Quebec in 1946
