Nantucket Nectars facts for kids

A typical 16 fl. oz. bottle of Nantucket Nectars

Nantucket Nectars is a popular American drink company. It was started by two friends, Tom First and Tom Scott. They began their business by selling different things to boats in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Later, they started making juice blends. Tom First got the idea for these juices from a tasty peach drink he tried in Spain. Today, the company is part of Keurig Dr Pepper and sells many different juice flavors.

The drinks first came in glass bottles. These bottles had cool facts about Nantucket Harbor and the company's history on their caps. Now, the bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic. This helps the environment!

Tom and Tom, also known as "The Juice Guys," became very successful. Their company was even listed as one of the fastest-growing U.S. companies for five years in a row. Their story of building the brand is so famous that it's studied in business schools.

How Nantucket Nectars Started

Tom First and Tom Scott met at Brown University in 1985. After college, they moved to Nantucket. There, they opened a floating store called Allserve. This store delivered everything from newspapers to laundry to boats in Nantucket Harbor.

In 1989, Tom First tried to make a peach drink for a cooking contest. He wanted to copy a drink he loved from a trip to Spain. He succeeded! After that, the two friends started mixing and bottling the juice themselves. They used a blender and even recycled wine bottles to sell their first juices for $1. They later decided to call their drinks Nantucket Nectars.

Growing the Juice Business

One of their first big helpers was Michael Egan. He had helped another company, Alamo Rent a Car, become very successful. Nantucket Nectars' sales grew quickly. They reported $1 million in sales in 1993. By 1995, their sales reached $15 million!

In 1994, Tom and Tom decided to focus only on making and selling their juices. The business then moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Changes in Ownership

In 1997, a company called Ocean Spray bought most of Nantucket Nectars. Then, in 2002, a London-based company called Cadbury Schweppes PLC bought the brand. Later, it was owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Now, Keurig Dr Pepper owns Nantucket Nectars.

The original founders, Tom First and Tom Scott, are not involved in the daily work anymore. However, they still help with marketing and even voice the radio ads. They often call themselves "The Juice Guys" in their advertisements.

Nantucket Nectars Flavors

Nantucket Nectars offers many different flavors. Here are some of them:

See also

• The Nantucket Project