Sun Drop facts for kids
The Sun Drop logo
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| Type | Citrus soda |
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| Manufacturer | Keurig Dr Pepper |
| Distributor | Local bottlers and distributors |
| Country of origin | Missouri, United States |
| Region of origin | |
| Introduced | 1949 |
| Ingredients | Orange juice |
| Variants |
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Sun Drop is a popular citrus-flavored soft drink with a unique yellowish-green color. It's known for having more caffeine than many other sodas, giving it an extra kick. The drink is made by the company Keurig Dr Pepper.
One of its special ingredients is orange juice concentrate. When Sun Drop is sold in glass bottles, it's often made with real cane sugar. This gives it a special flavor and look that fans love. Sun Drop's main competitors are Mello Yello and Mountain Dew.
Contents
The Story of Sun Drop
How It All Started
The idea for Sun Drop came from a man named Charles Lazier in Missouri. He was a salesman who sold flavorings for drinks. One day, while in his car, he quickly wrote down a recipe for a new soda on a piece of paper.
He gave the recipe to his son, Charles Jr., who was a lab technician at his father's company. Charles Jr. got to work on the formula. Two years later, in 1951, the new drink, called Sun Drop Cola, was introduced at a major beverage conference in Washington, D.C. The formula for Sun Drop was officially patented on April 15, 1930.
For a while, the drink was sold in some Southern states with different names, like "Sundrop Golden Cola" or "Golden Girl Cola."
New Owners and New Flavors
In 1970, a company called Crush International bought the brand and made the name and recipe the same everywhere. Over the years, Sun Drop was owned by a few different companies.
- 1980: Procter & Gamble bought Crush International.
- 1989: Procter & Gamble sold its soda brands to Cadbury Schweppes.
- 2008: Cadbury Schweppes split into two companies, and its drink business became Keurig Dr Pepper, which makes Sun Drop today.
In 1985, the owners at the time introduced new flavors. They created a new Diet Sun Drop and a Cherry-Lemon Sun Drop. In 2002, after many fans asked for it, the company released Caffeine-Free Sun Drop. A diet version of Cherry Lemon Sun Drop came out in 2014.
A Popular Regional Drink
Sun Drop is extremely popular in certain parts of the United States. You'll find many fans in states like Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina. It's also a favorite in parts of the Midwest, like Wisconsin and western Minnesota.
The drink has a "cult following," which means its fans are very loyal. People who live in areas where Sun Drop isn't sold have paid a lot of money just to have it shipped to them. Some families have even sent it to U.S. soldiers serving overseas in Afghanistan.
Sun Drop in Sports
Sun Drop has a long history with car racing.
- From the 1970s to the early 1990s, famous NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt promoted the drink.
- His son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., was also sponsored by Sun Drop in 1993. The two even reunited for a special race in 2022.
- From 2011 to 2013, Sun Drop was a major sponsor for IndyCar Series driver Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Going Nationwide
In 2011, Keurig Dr Pepper decided to sell Sun Drop all across the country. The company started a new advertising campaign with a new website and a Facebook page. They also made a deal with MTV to help promote the drink.
The goal was to compete with other popular citrus sodas. As part of the plan, MTV featured Sun Drop in some of its shows, including the reality series The Real World.
Different Kinds of Sun Drop
There are six main types of Sun Drop available:
- Sun Drop: The original citrus flavor.
- Diet Sun Drop: A sugar-free version.
- Caffeine-Free Sun Drop: The original flavor without the caffeine.
- Caffeine-Free Diet Sun Drop: A sugar-free and caffeine-free option.
- Cherry Lemon Sun Drop: A version with a cherry and lemon twist.
- Diet Cherry Lemon Sun Drop: The sugar-free version of the cherry lemon flavor.
As mentioned before, Sun Drop sold in glass bottles often uses real sugar instead of corn syrup. Many fans say this gives it a cleaner, slightly different taste.
