Mug Root Beer facts for kids
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| Owner | PepsiCo (1986–present) |
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| Introduced | 1940 |
| Previous owners | Belfast Beverage Co. |
Mug Root Beer is a popular American soft drink. It's a type of root beer, which is a sweet, fizzy drink often flavored with sassafras or other plant extracts. This tasty drink first appeared in 1940. Today, it is owned by PepsiCo, a very large beverage company.
Contents
The Story of Mug Root Beer
How Mug Root Beer Started
Mug Root Beer began its journey in 1940. It was first called Belfast Root Beer. The Belfast Beverage Company in San Francisco, California, made it. This company had been making sparkling water and ginger ale since 1877.
Around 1925, the Belfast Beverage Company was bought. The new owner was the New Century Beverage Company. This company was already successful. They had launched Crush Soda in 1918.
In 1936, New Century Beverage Company got permission. They could now sell Pepsi-Cola products. About four years later, they launched Belfast Root Beer.
Name Changes Over Time
An advertisement for Belfast Root Beer appeared as early as 1947. In the 1950s, the drink's name changed. It became Belfast Old Fashioned Mug Root Beer. Newspaper ads from the 1950s used a catchy phrase. It said, "You haven't tasted Root Beer like this in years!" Later, the name was shortened to just Mug Root Beer.
New Flavors and Ownership
In the late 1960s, a new version was introduced. It was called Sugar Free Mug. Today, we know it as Diet Mug Root Beer. Later, Mug Cream Soda and Diet Mug Cream Soda also came out. However, these are not as easy to find.
In 1986, PepsiCo bought Mug. Mug Root Beer then replaced On-Tap Draft Style Root Beer. This made Mug Pepsi's main root beer brand. Independent bottling companies make Mug Root Beer. They do this under the direction of New Century Beverage Company.
Mug Root Beer Today
Since PepsiCo bought Mug in 1986, the brand has had a fun mascot. It's a bulldog named "Dog." This bulldog is often shown holding a mug of Mug Root Beer. In the early 1990s, PepsiCo stopped making its sodas in San Francisco.
