– **History**:
– Mug Root Beer was originally sold as Belfast Root Beer in 1940 by Belfast Beverage Company in San Francisco.
– New Century Beverage Company, which launched Crush Soda in 1918, purchased Belfast Beverage Company around 1925.
– In 1936, New Century Beverage Company got permission to franchise Pepsi-Cola products and later launched Belfast Root Beer.
– The catchphrase “You haven’t tasted Root Beer like this in years!” was featured in 1950s newspaper ads.
– The soda was initially named Belfast Old Fashioned Mug Root Beer in the 1950s before being shortened to Mug Root Beer.
– **Introduction of Variants**:
– In the late 1960s, Sugar Free Mug (now Diet Mug Root Beer) was introduced.
– Later, Mug Cream Soda and Diet Mug Cream Soda were launched.
– These variants are not as widely available as the original Mug Root Beer.
– Pepsi acquired Mug in 1986, replacing On-Tap Draft Style Root Beer as its root beer brand.
– Independent bottlers manufacture Mug Root Beer under New Century Beverage Company’s authority.
– **Mascot and Production**:
– Since PepsiCo’s acquisition in 1986, Mug Root Beer has been represented by a bulldog mascot named Dog holding a mug of the soda.
– PepsiCo ceased soda production in San Francisco in the early 1990s.
– The change in mascot from a root beer vessel to a bulldog named Dog was a significant shift in branding.
– The history of Mug Root Beer’s development and branding has been chronicled in various media outlets.
– Mug Root Beer’s history is intertwined with the evolution of the beverage industry in the United States.
– **References**:
– Information about Mug Root Beer can be found on the PepsiCo Partners website.
– An article from The New York Times discusses the advertising strategies of Mug Root Beer.
– A piece by Susana Guerrero on SFGate narrates the origins of one of America’s beloved root beer brands.
– Historical newspaper archives provide insights into the early advertising campaigns of Belfast Root Beer.
– Various sources provide information on the evolution of Mug Root Beer and its journey from Belfast Root Beer to its current form.
– **Related Brands and Companies**:
– Mug Root Beer is part of PepsiCo’s soft drinks portfolio.
– PepsiCo owns a range of food and beverage brands, including KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.
– Caleb Bradham, the founder of Pepsi, and Indra Nooyi, the former chairman, have been instrumental figures in the company’s history.
– Mug Root Beer’s production is carried out under a partnership with Ekaterra.
– The expansion of PepsiCo’s brands and products has been a key strategy in the company’s growth.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2013) |
Mug Root Beer is an American brand of root beer that was originally produced in 1940 under the name Belfast Root Beer. It is now made by New Century Beverage Company of San Francisco, California, which was acquired by PepsiCo in 1986.
 | |
| Product type | Root beer |
|---|---|
| Owner | PepsiCo (1986–present) |
| Produced by | New Century Beverage Co. |
| Country | U.S. |
| Introduced | 1940 |
| Previous owners | Belfast Beverage Co. |
| Website | pepsico.com/mugrootbeer |