Tag Archives: Dr Pepper

Today in Texas History – July 6

From the Annals of Pop –  In 1923, the Dr Pepper Company was incorporated in Dallas. Dr Pepper had been made for almost 40 years after first being served at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug in Waco.  The owner, Wade Morrison, employed a pharmacist named Charles Alderton, who filled prescriptions and also served soft drinks to customers. Alderton experimented with various combinations of fruit extracts and sweeteners and landed upon a combination which was later dubbed Dr Pepper.  Morrison named the popular drink after Dr. Charles T. Pepper, a physician and pharmacist for whom Morrison had worked in Virginia. Today Dr Pepper is an operating company of Dr Pepper/Seven Up, based in Plano.  Red has personally boycotted Dr Pepper ever since the company refused Dublin Bottling Works  to continue to produce Dublin Dr Pepper.

The End Times are Near (cont.)

Keurig Green Mountain – a privately-held coffee behemoth – is reportedly purchase Dr. Pepper – aka the National Drink of Texas.

Actually, JAB Holding Company – the parent of Keurig Green Mountain is orchestrating the takeover of Dr Pepper Snapple Group for $18.7 billion.  The bid is one of the largest ever in the beverage industry and will include not only Dr. Pepper but other brands such as 7Up and Snapple.  JAB has been rolling up beverage companies for a while – using its the huge war chest of its founding family, the wealthy Reimann clan of Germany.

So the Germans are going to own Dr. Pepper.  Why did we even bother fighting? Let’s hope they like hot Dr. Pepper with a slice of lemon as much as Red does.

Today in Texas History – July 6

From the Annals of Sugary Goodness –  In 1923, the Dr Pepper Company was officially incorporated in Dallas. Dr Pepper was first made in 1885 in Waco.  Wade B. Morrison, owner of Morrison’s Old Corner Drug, employed a pharmacist named Charles Courtice Alderton  who in addition to filling prescriptions served soft drinks to customers. Alderton’s experiments with combinations of fruit extracts and sweeteners produced one extremely popular flavor.   Morrison named the beverage after Dr. Charles T. Pepper, a physician and pharmacist for whom Morrison had worked in Rural Retreat, Virginia.

Red seldom drank anything else as a youth.  He still enjoys the occasional Diet Dr Pepper.