Double Cola Company facts for kids

Double Cola

Type	soft drink
Manufacturer	Double Cola Company
Country of origin	United States
Introduced	1933
Variants	Ski, Jumbo Orange, Jumbo Grape

The Double Cola Company is a company that makes soft drinks. It is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the United States.

Their main product is called Double-Cola. You can mostly find it in the eastern part of the US, east of the Mississippi River. It is also sold in some other countries around the world.

History of Double Cola

Starting the Company

The company began in 1922 as the Good Grape Company. It was started by Charles D. Little and Joe S. Foster. They used to work for another soda company called Chero-Cola. They first set up their business in Huntsville, Alabama. Later that same year, they moved the company to Chattanooga.

In 1924, Charles Little created a new drink called Marvel Cola. Because of this new drink, the Good Grape Company changed its name. It became the Seminole Flavor Company. Marvel Cola was later improved and renamed Jumbo Cola.

The Birth of Double-Cola

The popular Double-Cola drink was created in 1933. It quickly became the company's most important product. The drink was named "Double-Cola" because its bottles were 12 ounces (about 350 ml). This was twice the size of most other soda bottles sold at that time!

Soon after, the company made other "Double" flavored drinks. These included Double-Orange, Double-Lemon, and Double-Grape. They also made a "Double-Dry" ginger ale.

Challenges and Changes

During World War II, there was a shortage of sugar. This made it hard for Seminole to keep bottling Double-Cola in its larger bottles. This hurt their production. Another big soda company, PepsiCo, was also having similar problems. Charles Little had a chance to buy PepsiCo, but he decided not to. He wanted to focus on his own cola. PepsiCo managed to avoid going out of business and grew much bigger than Seminole.

In 1953, Seminole Flavor Company changed its name again. It became The Double Cola Company, which is its name today. For a while, it was also known as the Double-Cola Co. USA.

Introducing Ski Soda

In 1956, the company created a new soda called Ski. It is a citrus soda, similar to Sun Drop. Ski is special because it is made with real orange and real lemon juice.

The company held a contest for employees to name the new drink. An employee named Dot Myers had been on a ski trip at Chickamauga Lake. She suggested the names "Ski" and "Skee." The company liked the name "Ski," and it has been called that ever since.

New Bottle Sizes and Ownership

In 1957, Double-Cola made history. It was the first major soft drink to be sold in a 16-ounce (about 470 ml) bottle that could be returned and refilled.

In 1962, Diet Double Cola was launched. That same year, Charles Little sold the company to Fairmont Foods. Later, in 1980, a company called K.J. International, Inc. bought The Double Cola Company. It is still owned privately by this company today.

In the summer of 1960, Double Cola was sold in Hong Kong. They had a very large 16-ounce bottle that was super fizzy. It was quite affordable for its size.

Double Cola Today

New Products and Flavors

In 2010, Diet Double-Cola was updated. It was made with Splenda to taste more like the regular Double-Cola. Two years later, in 2012, Double Cola got new packaging and a new look. However, the ingredients inside stayed the same.

In 2013, The Double Cola Company started making more than just soft drinks. They released Quad Energy, an energy drink, in five different flavors. In the same year, they also started selling MINŌKU Coconut Water. This coconut water comes from Thailand and is sold all over the US.

The Double Cola Company also plans to release a new product called ZILI Tea soon. It will come in five different flavors. The company says that ZILI Teas are "all natural teas that harness the power of Mother Nature to hydrate, nourish, and satisfy."

Where Double Cola is Sold

Double Cola used to be sold in a wider area of the Southern US. However, it is a very well-known drink in Southern Indiana, especially around Evansville. For example, there are even sports fields called Double Cola Fields.

Double Cola was once sold as a cheaper choice compared to drinks like Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola. But now, in some areas, it is sold as a special brand. Its price is often the same or even higher than Coca-Cola or Pepsi-Cola.

Diet versions of both Double Cola and Ski have been made in recent years. The "Jumbo" line of fruit-flavored drinks has also grown. It now includes flavors like peach, strawberry, pineapple, fruit punch, root beer, and blue creme soda. Some of these drinks are only available in certain small areas.

Even though The Double Cola Company's international sales are not as big as Coke or Pepsi, they sell their products in many countries. You can find their drinks in South Asia, South America, and the Middle East. Double-Cola, Oranta, and Chaser are their main products sold in these foreign markets.

Images for kids

• 

  Double Cola can, 1980s–90s era