8 Fascinating Facts About Sunkist Orange Soda

Could Sunkist Orange Soda ever become as popular as Coca-Cola? At the risk of offending Sunkist lovers (and there are many), I would say probably not. After all, Coca-Cola is the world's most recognizable brand. It has a long, rich and storied past. Plus, I don't believe a citrus-flavored soft drink could ever surpass a cola in popularity.

You may be wondering, then, why I bother to raise the question. I do so because I believe that in the world of soft drinks, Sunkist Orange Soda is a force to be reckoned with. As a result of effective marketing and branding strategies, Sunkist Orange Soda has earned a place in the upper echelons of world-class soft drinks. And, although it has only been around for some 30 years (compared to 121 for Coke), it already has acquired an interesting legacy of its own. Here are 8 fascinating facts about Sunkist Orange Soda.

1. Sunkist Orange Soda is the brainchild of marketing and sales maven Mark Stevens. Mr. Stevens was inspired to start a brand of orange-flavored soda after learning that orange was the world's third best selling soft drink flavor.

2. The Sunkist brand name/trademark was adopted in 1908 by Sunkist Growers, Inc., a not-for-profit citrus-growers cooperative comprised of members from California and Arizona. The Sunkist brand - one of the most recognized in the United States - is used on a wide range of products, including fruit drinks, baked goods and vitamins. Sunkist Growers, Inc. still owns the trademark.

3. In 1978, Sunkist Growers, Inc. licensed the Sunkist brand name to National Cinema Corporation, a major movie theater operator and, at the time, the leading independent bottler of Pepsi-Cola. National Cinema Corporation was the first company to manufacture and distribute the soft drink.

4. The soft drink went national in 1979. Interestingly enough, it was franchised primarily to leading independent Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola bottlers. By 1981, it was the top-selling orange soda in America.