R. White's facts for kids
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R. White's lemonade, est. 1845
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| Type | Carbonated lemonade |
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| Manufacturer | Britvic |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Introduced | 1845 |
R. White's is a famous British brand of fizzy lemonade. It is made and sold in the United Kingdom by a company called Britvic.
The story of R. White's began in 1845. Robert and Mary White made the very first R. White's lemonade in Camberwell, a part of south London. Over the years, the company grew a lot. In the 1960s, it joined with another company called Whitbread. Later, in 1986, it became part of Britvic.
In the 1970s, R. White's also made other drinks. These included orangeade, dandelion and burdock, and cream soda. The lemonade used to be made only with sugar. But since 2012, the recipe has changed. It now uses less sugar and some artificial sweeteners. R. White's still contains real lemons. You can find it in different flavors like Raspberry, Pear, and Elderflower.
One of its most famous things is a TV commercial from the 1970s. It was called "Secret Lemonade Drinker." This advert was so popular that it was voted one of the "The 100 Greatest TV Ads" in the UK in 2000.
Contents
The History of R. White's Lemonade
How R. White's Started
In 1845, Robert and Mary White began their drink business. They sold homemade ginger beer from a wheelbarrow in Camberwell, London. This is why you can still see a wheelbarrow on R. White's drink packaging today!
Their business grew very quickly. By the late 1860s, they had many production places. They also had depots, which are like storage and distribution centers. These were in the midlands of England and London.
Growing Bigger and New Flavors
The White family focused mainly on lemonade. They later took over another company called H. D. Rawlings Ltd. This company made drink mixers. Joining forces made White's the biggest soft drinks company in London. It also became the biggest in south-east England.
Robert White's sons, Robert James and John George, joined the family business. The company then became known as R. White & Sons Ltd.
By 1887, White's offered many different flavors and products. All of these drinks came in special glass bottles. You could choose from drinks like strawberry soda, raspberry soda, and cream soda. They also had pineapple cider and ginger beer.
At the start of the 1900s, there were over 40 different soft drink flavors for sale!
R. White's During the World Wars
During the First World War in 1914, many R. White's employees joined the armed forces. The company also helped the government. They provided over half of their horses and vans for the war effort.
In the Second World War, the government took many of their vehicles again. These were used by the army. During a time called the Blitz, three big R. White's factories in London were destroyed.
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R. White's delivery vehicles before 1914
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R. White's refreshments stall in the early 1900s
Advertising R. White's Lemonade
The "Secret Lemonade Drinker" Campaign
In 1973, R. White's launched a very famous advertising campaign. It was called the 'Secret Lemonade Drinker'. An advertising expert named Rod Allen created the idea and wrote the catchy song.
The adverts showed an actor named Julian Chagrin. He would sneak downstairs in his pajamas at night. He was trying to get R. White's Lemonade from the fridge. But his wife, played by Harriet Philpin, would always catch him!
A musician named Ross McManus wrote and sang the song for the advert. His son, Declan McManus, sang the backing vocals. Declan later became famous as Elvis Costello.
Awards and Later Versions
These commercials were the brand's most well-known adverts. They were shown on TV until 1984. The campaign even won a silver award at a big advertising festival in 1974.
The "Secret Lemonade Drinker" was brought back in 1993. This time, actor and comedian Julian Dutton played the main character. Many famous people appeared in these new adverts. These included comedians Ronnie Corbett and Frankie Howerd. Even tennis player John McEnroe was in some of them!
One version of the advert was even dubbed entirely in Japanese. Another one featured the cartoon character Mr Benn. In 2000, the "Secret Lemonade Drinker" advert was voted seventh in a poll of "The 100 Greatest TV Ads" by Channel 4.
In 2012, Julian Chagrin and Harriet Philpin, the original actors, returned. They appeared in adverts for R. White's Lemonade Lollies.
See also
