57-783: Britvic plc is a British producer of soft drinks based in Hemel Hempstead , England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index . It produces soft drinks under its own name, as well as several other brands. The company was founded in the 1930s in Chelmsford as the Brit ish Vi tamin Products C ompany . It started producing fruit juices in 1938 and started marketing them under
114-570: A gas when the pressure is released. The process usually involves injecting carbon dioxide under high pressure. When the pressure is removed, the carbon dioxide is released from the solution as small bubbles, which causes the solution to become effervescent, or fizzy. Carbonated beverages are prepared by mixing flavored syrup with carbonated water. Carbonation levels range up to 5 volumes of CO 2 per liquid volume. Ginger ale , colas , and related drinks are carbonated with 3.5 volumes. Other drinks, often fruity ones, are carbonated less. In
171-560: A syrup or dry ingredients with carbonated water, or by Lacto-fermentation. Syrups are commercially sold by companies such as Soda-Club ; dry ingredients are often sold in pouches, in a style of the popular U.S. drink mix Kool-Aid . Carbonated water is made using a soda siphon or a home carbonation system or by dropping dry ice into water. Food-grade carbon dioxide, used for carbonating drinks, often comes from ammonia plants. Drinks like ginger ale and root beer are often brewed using yeast to cause carbonation . Of most importance
228-433: A Baltimore, Maryland machine shop operator. It was the first bottle top to successfully keep the bubbles in the bottle. In 1899, the first patent was issued for a glass-blowing machine for the automatic production of glass bottles. Earlier glass bottles had all been hand-blown. Four years later, the new bottle-blowing machine was in operation. It was first operated by Michael Owens , an employee of Libby Glass Company. Within
285-527: A day) had significantly lower bone mineral density (BMD) of about 4% in the hip compared to women who did not consume colas. The study found that the effect of regular consumption of cola sodas was not significant on men's BMD. In 2006, the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency published the results of its survey of benzene levels in soft drinks, which tested 150 products and found that four contained benzene levels above
342-645: A few years, glass bottle production increased from 1,400 bottles a day to about 58,000 bottles a day. In America, soda fountains were initially more popular, and many Americans would frequent the soda fountain daily. Beginning in 1806, Yale University chemistry professor Benjamin Silliman sold soda waters in New Haven, Connecticut . He used a Nooth apparatus to produce his waters. Businessmen in Philadelphia and New York City also began selling soda water in
399-568: A higher risk of cardiovascular diseases , and people who drank sugar-sweetened drinks with digestive diseases . Since at least 2006, debate on whether high-calorie soft drink vending machines should be allowed in schools has been on the rise. Opponents of the soft drink vending machines believe that soft drinks are a significant contributor to childhood obesity and tooth decay , and that allowing soft drink sales in schools encourages children to believe they are safe to consume in moderate to large quantities. Opponents also argue that schools have
456-656: A lower caffeine and sugar content. After their failed IPO C&C's sold their soft drink brands to Britvic, resulting in the company now owning a number of brands in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, including, Ballygowan Water , Britvic, Cidona , MiWadi , and Energise Sport as well as the rights to the Pepsi and 7 Up brands in the territory through its bottling agreements with PepsiCo. Britvic bought Fruité Entreprises in May 2010 for £298 million. It has since renamed
513-806: A potential risk factor for weight gain. From 1977 to 2002, Americans doubled their consumption of sweetened beverages —a trend that was paralleled by doubling the prevalence of obesity. The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with weight and obesity, and changes in consumption can help predict changes in weight. The consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks can also be associated with many weight-related diseases, including diabetes, metabolic syndrome , and cardiovascular risk factors. Most soft drinks contain high concentrations of simple carbohydrates : glucose , fructose , sucrose and other simple sugars. If oral bacteria ferment carbohydrates and produce acids that may dissolve tooth enamel and induce dental decay, then sweetened drinks may increase
570-743: A process to manufacture bottled carbonated mineral water. He founded the Schweppes Company in Geneva in 1783 to sell carbonated water, and relocated his business to London in 1792. His drink soon gained in popularity; among his newfound patrons was Erasmus Darwin . In 1843, the Schweppes company commercialized Malvern Water at the Holywell Spring in the Malvern Hills, and received a royal warrant from King William IV. It
627-517: A responsibility to look after the health of the children in their care, and that allowing children easy access to soft drinks violates that responsibility. Vending machine proponents believe that obesity is a complex issue and soft drinks are not the only cause. A 2011 bill to tax soft drinks in California failed, with some opposing lawmakers arguing that parents—not the government—should be responsible for children's drink choices. On May 3, 2006,
SECTION 10
#1732780473766684-620: A safety concern for consumers". A study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology in 2013 concluded that consumption of soft drinks was associated with a 23% higher risk of developing kidney stones . In a 2019 study of 451,743 Europeans, those who had a consumption of soft drinks of two or more a day, had a greater chance of all-cause mortality than those who drank less than one per month. People who drank artificially sweetened drinks had
741-513: A soft drink, but the alcohol content must be less than 0.5% of the total volume of the drink in many countries and localities if the drink is to be considered non-alcoholic . Types of soft drinks include lemon-lime drinks , orange soda , cola , grape soda , cream soda , ginger ale and root beer . Soft drinks may be served cold, over ice cubes , or at room temperature . They are available in many container formats, including cans , glass bottles , and plastic bottles . Containers come in
798-691: A sugary beverage on a given day fell from approximately 62% to 50% for adults, and from 80% to 61% for children. The decrease has been attributed to, among other factors, an increased awareness of the dangers of obesity, and government efforts to improve diets. At the same time, soda consumption has increased in some low- or middle-income countries such as Cameroon , Georgia , India and Vietnam as soda manufacturers increasingly target these markets and consumers have increasing discretionary income. Soft drinks are made by mixing dry or fresh ingredients with water. Production of soft drinks can be done at factories or at home. Soft drinks can be made at home by mixing
855-486: A variety of sizes, ranging from small bottles to large multi-liter containers. Soft drinks are widely available at fast food restaurants , movie theaters , convenience stores , casual-dining restaurants , dedicated soda stores , vending machines and bars from soda fountain machines. Within a decade of the invention of carbonated water by Joseph Priestley in 1767, inventors in Europe had used his concept to produce
912-648: Is any soft drink. In other languages, various names are used: descriptive names as "non-alcoholic beverages", equivalents of "soda water", or generalized names. For example, the Bohemian variant of the Czech language (but not Moravian dialects) uses "limonáda" for all such beverages, not only those made from lemons. Similarly, the Slovak language uses "malinovka" ("raspberry water") for all such beverages, not only for raspberry ones. The origins of soft drinks lie in
969-537: Is any water-based flavored drink , usually but not necessarily carbonated , and typically including added sweetener . Flavors used can be natural or artificial . The sweetener may be a sugar , high-fructose corn syrup , fruit juice , a sugar substitute (in the case of diet sodas ), or some combination of these. Soft drinks may also contain caffeine , colorings , preservatives and other ingredients. Soft drinks are called "soft" in contrast with "hard" alcoholic drinks . Small amounts of alcohol may be present in
1026-485: Is associated with obesity , hypertension , type 2 diabetes , dental caries , and low nutrient levels . A few experimental studies reported the role sugar-sweetened soft drinks potentially contribute to these ailments, though other studies show conflicting information. According to a 2013 systematic review of systematic reviews, 83.3% of the systematic reviews without reported conflict of interest concluded that sugar-sweetened soft drinks consumption could be
1083-514: Is now called) onto chalk to produce carbon dioxide gas and encouraging the gas to dissolve into an agitated bowl of water. "Within a decade, inventors in Britain and in Europe had taken Priestley's basic idea—get some "fixed air," mix it with water, shake—and created contraptions that could make carbonated water more quickly, in greater quantities. One of those inventors was named Johann Jacob Schweppe, who sold bottled soda water and whose business
1140-431: Is often advised by dentists as the drink does not come into as much contact with the teeth. It has also been suggested that brushing teeth right after drinking soft drinks should be avoided as this can result in additional erosion to the teeth due to mechanical action of the toothbrush on weakened enamel. A 2006 study of several thousand men and women, found that women who regularly drank cola-based sodas (three or more
1197-605: Is still around today." "The great soda-water shake up" (October 2014) The Atlantic . Another Englishman, John Mervin Nooth , improved Priestley's design and sold his apparatus for commercial use in pharmacies. Swedish chemist Torbern Bergman invented a generating apparatus that made carbonated water from chalk by the use of sulfuric acid. Bergman's apparatus allowed imitation mineral water to be produced in large amounts. Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius started to add flavors (spices, juices, and wine) to carbonated water in
SECTION 20
#17327804737661254-431: Is that the ingredient meets the agreed specification on all major parameters. This is not only the functional parameter (in other words, the level of the major constituent), but the level of impurities, the microbiological status, and physical parameters such as color, particle size, etc. Some soft drinks contain measurable amounts of alcohol. In some older preparations, this resulted from natural fermentation used to build
1311-511: Is used in the preparation of the flavoring extracts such as vanilla extract . Market control of the soft drink industry varies on a country-by-country basis. However, PepsiCo and the Coca-Cola Company remain the two largest producers of soft drinks in most regions of the world. In North America, Keurig Dr Pepper and Jones Soda also hold a significant amount of market share. The over-consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks
1368-657: The Britvic name in 1949. Acquired by Showerings of Shepton Mallet , and subsequently a division of Allied Breweries from 1968, the company changed its name to Britvic in 1971. In 1986, it merged with Canada Dry Rawlings and acquired the R. White's Lemonade brand. It acquired Tango and the Corona brand from Beechams in 1987 and since that year it has also owned the UK franchise for Pepsi and 7 Up . In 1995, it bought Robinson's from Reckitt & Colman . In December 2005,
1425-540: The Caledonian Road , Islington , in London in 1870. His Codd-neck bottle was designed to enclose a marble and a rubber washer in the neck. The bottles were filled upside down, and pressure of the gas in the bottle forced the marble against the washer, sealing in the carbonation. The bottle was pinched into a special shape to provide a chamber into which the marble was pushed to open the bottle. This prevented
1482-695: The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water. The United States Food and Drug Administration released its own test results of several soft drinks containing benzoates and ascorbic or erythorbic acid . Five tested drinks contained benzene levels above the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended standard of 5 ppb . As of 2006, the FDA stated its belief that "the levels of benzene found in soft drinks and other beverages to date do not pose
1539-593: The 1920s. Since then, soft drink vending machines have become increasingly popular. Both hot and cold drinks are sold in these self-service machines throughout the world. Per capita consumption of soda varies considerably around the world. As of 2014, the top consuming countries per capita were Argentina, the United States, Chile, and Mexico. Developed countries in Europe and elsewhere in the Americas had considerably lower consumption. Annual average consumption in
1596-691: The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Cadbury Schweppes , the Coca-Cola Company , PepsiCo , and the American Beverage Association announced new guidelines that will voluntarily remove high-calorie soft drinks from all U.S. schools. On May 19, 2006, the British education secretary , Alan Johnson , announced new minimum nutrition standards for school food. Among a wide range of measures, from September 2006, school lunches will be free from carbonated drinks. Schools will also end
1653-477: The UK include Britvic mixers, R. White's Lemonade, Tango , Robinson's and J 2 O – as well as being the licensed bottler for PepsiCo products within the UK. In 2008, Britvic launched Gatorade in the UK, after securing the rights to do so from PepsiCo . In May 2010, Britvic launched a UK specific version of the popular drink, Mountain Dew Energy . It tastes similar to its American counterpart, but has
1710-645: The United Kingdom and Ireland, the term "fizzy drink" is common. "Pop" and "fizzy pop" are used in Northern England, South Wales, and the Midlands while "mineral" is used in Ireland. In Scotland, "fizzy juice" or even simply "juice" is colloquially encountered, as is "ginger". In Australia and New Zealand, "soft drink" or "fizzy drink" is typically used. In South African English , "cool drink"
1767-466: The United States called " phosphate soda " appeared in the late 1870s. It became one of the most popular soda fountain drinks from 1900 until the 1930s, with the lemon or orange phosphate being the most basic. The drink consists of 1 US fl oz (30 ml) fruit syrup, 1/2 teaspoon of phosphoric acid , and enough carbonated water and ice to fill a glass. This drink was commonly served in pharmacies. Soft drinks soon outgrew their origins in
Britvic - Misplaced Pages Continue
1824-460: The United States, at 153.5 liters, was about twice that in the United Kingdom (77.7) or Canada (85.3). In recent years, soda consumption has generally declined in the West. According to one estimate, per capita consumption in the United States reached its peak in 1998 and has continually fallen since. A study in the journal Obesity found that from 2003 to 2014 the proportion of Americans who drank
1881-438: The beverage industry, and is broadly used in product labeling and on restaurant menus, generally a euphemistic term meaning non-alcoholic . However, in many countries such drinks are more commonly referred to by regional names, including pop , cool drink , fizzy drink, cola , soda, or soda pop . Other less-used terms include carbonated drink , fizzy juice , lolly water , seltzer , coke , tonic , and mineral . Due to
1938-638: The business Britvic France. It is mainly a fruit juice business, unlike the GB&;I businesses that focus on soft drinks. In 2015, Britvic acquired ebba (Empresa Brasileira de Bebidas e Alimentos SA), located in São Paulo , and in 2017 Bela Ischia, located in Rio de Janeiro . Current brands are as follows: Dilutes Water Carbonated soft drinks Other Licensed from PepsiCo Soft drink A soft drink (see § Terminology for other names)
1995-462: The business will then take place and employees and stakeholders will be notified of the future of the new entity when appropriate. Most of the company's operations are concentrated in the United Kingdom and Ireland and the company exports to over 50 countries. Its corporate headquarters moved from Chelmsford, Essex to Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, in March 2012. The drink brands the company owns in
2052-459: The caddish Huntingdon, recovering from months of debauchery, wakes at noon and gulps a bottle of soda-water. ) In the early 20th century, sales of bottled soda increased greatly around the world, and in the second half of the 20th century, canned soft drinks became an important share of the market. During the 1920s, "Home-Paks" were invented. "Home-Paks" are the familiar six-pack cartons made from cardboard. Vending machines also began to appear in
2109-413: The carbonation. In the United States, soft drinks (as well as other products such as non-alcoholic beer ) are allowed by law to contain up to 0.5% alcohol by volume . Modern drinks introduce carbon dioxide for carbonation, but there is some speculation that alcohol might result from fermentation of sugars in a non-sterile environment. A small amount of alcohol is introduced in some soft drinks where alcohol
2166-484: The company underwent an initial public offering (IPO), allowing its main shareholders ( InterContinental Hotels Group , Whitbread , Pernod Ricard ) to realise their investments. In May 2007, the Company bought the soft drinks and distribution businesses of Ireland's Cantrell & Cochrane (C&C) for £169.5m. On 14 November 2012, the company announced plans to merge with Scottish soft drink producer A.G. Barr ,
2223-425: The development of fruit-flavored drinks. In the medieval Middle East , a variety of fruit-flavored soft drinks were widely drunk, such as sharbat , and were often sweetened with ingredients such as sugar , syrup and honey . Other common ingredients included lemon , apple , pomegranate , tamarind , jujube , sumac , musk , mint and ice . Middle Eastern drinks later became popular in medieval Europe , where
2280-412: The drink in greater quantities. One such inventor, J. J. Schweppe , formed Schweppes in 1783 and began selling the world's first bottled soft drink. Soft drink brands founded in the 19th century include R. White's Lemonade in 1845, Dr Pepper in 1885 and Coca-Cola in 1886. Subsequent brands include Pepsi , Irn-Bru , Sprite , Fanta , 7 Up and RC Cola . The term "soft drink" is a category in
2337-503: The early 19th century. In the 1830s, John Matthews of New York City and John Lippincott of Philadelphia began manufacturing soda fountains. Both men were successful and built large factories for fabricating fountains. Due to problems in the U.S. glass industry, bottled drinks remained a small portion of the market throughout much of the 19th century. (However, they were known in England. In The Tenant of Wildfell Hall , published in 1848,
Britvic - Misplaced Pages Continue
2394-502: The high sugar content in typical soft drinks, they may also be called sugary drinks . In the United States, the 2003 Harvard Dialect Survey tracked the usage of the nine most common names. Over half of the survey respondents preferred the term "soda", which was dominant in the Northeastern United States, California, and the areas surrounding Milwaukee and St. Louis. The term "pop", which was preferred by 25% of
2451-460: The late 18th century, scientists made important progress in replicating naturally carbonated mineral waters . In 1767, Englishman Joseph Priestley first discovered a method of infusing water with carbon dioxide to make carbonated water when he suspended a bowl of distilled water above a beer vat at a local brewery in Leeds , England. His invention of carbonated water (later known as soda water , for
2508-439: The late eighteenth century. Thomas Henry , an apothecary from Manchester, was the first to sell artificial mineral water to the general public for medicinal purposes, beginning in the 1770s. His recipe for 'Bewley's Mephitic Julep' consisted of 3 drachms of fossil alkali to a quart of water, and the manufacture had to 'throw in streams of fixed air until all the alkaline taste is destroyed'. Johann Jacob Schweppe developed
2565-667: The maker of brands including Irn-Bru , Tizer and D'n'B , which would have created one of Europe's largest soft drinks companies. The merger was put into serious doubt after the Office of Fair Trading referred it to the Competition Commission . On 11 July 2013, A.G. Barr chairman, Ronnie Hanna, announced that the proposed merger had been abandoned. In May 2017, PepsiCo announced that it had decided to sell its long-held 4.5 per cent stake in Britvic. On 8 July 2024, it
2622-464: The marble from blocking the neck as the drink was poured. R. White's, by now the biggest soft drinks company in London and south-east England, featured a wide range of drinks on their price list in 1887, all of which were sold in Codd's glass bottles, with choices including strawberry soda, raspberry soda, cherryade and cream soda. In 1892, the " Crown Cork Bottle Seal " was patented by William Painter ,
2679-492: The medical world and became a widely consumed product, available cheaply for the masses. By the 1840s, there were more than fifty soft drink manufacturers in London, an increase from just ten in the 1820s. Carbonated lemonade was widely available in British refreshment stalls in 1833, and in 1845, R. White's Lemonade went on sale in the UK. For the Great Exhibition of 1851 held at Hyde Park in London, Schweppes
2736-684: The respondents, was most popular in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, while the genericized trademark "coke", used by 12% of the respondents, was most popular in the Southern United States. The term "tonic" is distinctive to eastern Massachusetts , although its use is declining. In the English-speaking parts of Canada, the term "pop" is prevalent, but "soft drink" is the most common English term used in Montreal. In
2793-411: The risk of dental caries . The risk would be greater if the frequency of consumption is high. A large number of soda pops are acidic as are many fruits, sauces, and other foods. Drinking acidic drinks over a long period and continuous sipping may erode the tooth enamel . A 2007 study determined that some flavored sparkling waters are as erosive or more so than orange juice. Using a drinking straw
2850-400: The soft drinks industry was the lack of an effective sealing of the bottles. Carbonated drink bottles are under great pressure from the gas, so inventors tried to find the best way to prevent the carbon dioxide or bubbles from escaping. The bottles could also explode if the pressure was too great. Hiram Codd devised a patented bottling machine while working at a small mineral water works in
2907-467: The tropical areas of South Asia and Africa. As the quinine powder was so bitter people began mixing the powder with soda and sugar, and a basic tonic water was created. The first commercial tonic water was produced in 1858. The mixed drink gin and tonic also originated in British colonial India , when the British population would mix their medicinal quinine tonic with gin . A persistent problem in
SECTION 50
#17327804737662964-400: The use of soda powders in its commercial manufacture) is the major and defining component of most soft drinks. Priestley found that water treated in this manner had a pleasant taste, and he offered it to his friends as a refreshing drink. In 1772, Priestley published a paper entitled Impregnating Water with Fixed Air in which he describes dripping oil of vitriol (or sulfuric acid as it
3021-437: The word "syrup" was derived from Arabic . In Tudor England , 'water imperial' was widely drunk; it was a sweetened drink with lemon flavor and containing cream of tartar . 'Manays Cryste' was a sweetened cordial flavored with rosewater, violets or cinnamon. Another early type of soft drink was lemonade , made of water and lemon juice sweetened with honey, but without carbonated water. The Compagnie des Limonadiers of Paris
3078-617: Was announced that the Danish Carlsberg Group would buy Britvic. Upon completion, Britvic will rebrand under the Carlsberg umbrella, with the brewery company becoming the biggest PepsiCo drink licenser in the world. The acquisition will be completed by 2025. It is expected that, once the sale is complete, Britvic will be combined with the operations of the Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company (CMBC). A review of
3135-438: Was designated the official drink supplier and sold over a million bottles of lemonade, ginger beer, Seltzer water and soda-water. There was a Schweppes soda water fountain, situated directly at the entrance to the exhibition. Mixer drinks became popular in the second half of the century. Tonic water was originally quinine added to water as a prophylactic against malaria and was consumed by British officials stationed in
3192-449: Was granted a monopoly for the sale of lemonade soft drinks in 1676. Vendors carried tanks of lemonade on their backs and dispensed cups of the soft drink to Parisians. Carbonated drinks or fizzy drinks are beverages that consist mainly of carbonated water . The dissolution of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in a liquid , gives rise to effervescence or fizz . Carbon dioxide is only weakly soluble in water; therefore, it separates into
3249-568: Was not long before flavoring was combined with carbonated water. The earliest reference to carbonated ginger beer is in a Practical Treatise on Brewing . published in 1809. The drinking of either natural or artificial mineral water was considered at the time to be a healthy practice, and was promoted by advocates of temperance . Pharmacists selling mineral waters began to add herbs and chemicals to unflavored mineral water. They used birch bark (see birch beer ), dandelion , sarsaparilla root , fruit extracts, and other substances. A variant of soda in
#765234