Kirks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kirks

Kirks creaming soda
Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Beverage
Founded	1865; 160 years ago (1865)
Founder	Reginald Larard and Gilbert E. Primrose
Headquarters	Queensland , Australia
Parent	Coca-Cola Company

Kirks is a popular brand of soft drinks from Australia. It started in Queensland in 1865. Kirks makes many different tasty drink flavors.

The Story of Kirks

How Kirks Began

Before Kirks became one big company, there were two main businesses. The Helidon Spa Water Company began in 1881. It was started by Reginald Larard, a chemist, and Gilbert E. Primrose, a Scottish businessman. They bottled natural spring water from Helidon, in Queensland.

Another company, Owen Gardner & Sons, had been making drinks since 1850. After Alfred Gardner passed away in 1888, his sons Alfred and Ernest took over. Later, a manager named Mr. T. Kirkpatrick helped run the business. With a chemist named W. Doolan, Kirkpatrick created a new drink called 'Kirk's Ginger Ale'. This drink became very popular.

In the 1930s, Mr. Kirkpatrick left Owen Gardner & Sons. He went to work for a rival company called Tristram's. He started selling 'Kirk's Ginger Beer' under their brand. Owen Gardner & Sons, then owned by Robert Sweeney, took Tristram's to court. They said they had the only right to use the "Kirk's" name. Owen Gardner & Sons won the case. Because the "kirk's" name was so popular, the company later used it for all their soft drink products.

Joining Forces

By 1959, many imported drinks like Coca-Cola were becoming popular. To compete, the two old rivals, Helidon Spa Water Company and Owen Gardner & Sons, decided to join together. They formed a new company called Helidon Gardner Pty Ltd. They chose to trade under the well-known name "kirk's". Tristram's was asked to join too, but they said no.

You might see "Since 1865" on Kirks' bottles today. It's not clear exactly what event this date refers to. It doesn't match when Helidon Spa Water Company or Owen Gardner & Sons started. It also doesn't match when the "Kirks" name was first used.

Kirks in the 1980s

In the 1980s, Kirks, Shelleys (from New South Wales), and Gest (from Western Australia) shared similar drink ranges. They also had similar packaging and advertisements. Each brand was sold mainly in its home state.

Becoming One Big Brand

In 2000, Kirks, Shelleys, and Gest joined with other brands like Halls (from South Australia) and Marchants. They all became part of Coca-Cola Amatil. All these brands then took on the Kirks name across Australia.

The goal of this change was to remind people of the old days. Back in the 1960s to early 1980s, local companies would deliver soft drinks right to your door. Even today, some Kirks flavors are only sold in certain states. This is because those flavors were originally made by local bottlers in those areas.

Kirks' packaging and ads were updated in 2006. They were given an even more modern look in 2014.

Kirks Products

Many of Kirks' drink flavors came from smaller companies. These companies made drinks before Kirks bought them or before the big merger in 2000. Some of these drinks are still only sold in their original regions. A few are even seen as local favorites.

Kirks' Ginger Ale was first sold by Owen Gardner & Sons. Kirks sold its Creaming Soda under the name "Kandy" before the 2000 merger. Fruita and Sno Drop were originally made by Halls. Kole Beer was a product of Gest.

The brand's "Olde Stoney" Ginger Beer is the original Shelley's Old Style Stoney Beer. This name refers to the stone bottles that non-alcoholic ginger beer was sold in during the 1800s. Pasito and Creaming Soda are also original Shelley's flavors.

Popular Kirks Flavors

• Creaming Soda
• Lemonade
• Big Sars
• Old Stoney Ginger Beer
• Lemon Squash
• Pasito
• Portello
• Ginger Ale (only in Queensland)
• Kolé Beer (only in Western Australia)
• Sno Drop (only in South Australia)
• Fruita (only in Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania)

Limited Edition Surprises

Kirks also releases special limited edition flavors. Some past ones include:

• Strawberries and Cream
• Watermelonade (tasted like watermelon Chupa Chup lollipops)
• Lime Spider
• Enchanted Fruits (raspberry, blackberry, and strawberry Chupa Chup)
• Sticky Toffee Apple
• Tropical Bluetopia (pineapple and berry)
• Summer Sorbet (mango and peach)
• Fizzy Flamingo (peach and raspberry)
• Sunny Stardust (pineapple and strawberry)

Mixer Drinks

Kirks also makes drinks that are often used as mixers:

• Soda Water
• Tonic Water
• Dry Ginger Ale

Other Drinks

• Brewed Ginger Beer

Kirks also makes diet versions of some of its popular flavors. Fruita was stopped being made in late 2019.

See also

• List of brand name soft drinks products
• List of soft drink flavors
• List of soft drinks by country