1905

A young pharmacist, Claud A. Hatcher, begins creating his own soft drinks in the basement of his family's grocery store in Columbus, Georgia, USA. Originally called "Union Bottling Works," the first line of beverages is named Royal Crown Ginger Ale.

1910

Union Bottling Works relocates to a bigger facility and introduces the cherry-flavored cola creation, Chero-Cola, & soon ranked as the company's greatest-selling product.

1912

Chero-Cola's popularity leads to Union Bottling Works changing its name to Chero-Cola Company, expanding the enterprise to manufacture a line of syrups and flavor concentrates to sell to franchised bottlers.

1924

A new, fruit-flavored beverage named Melo is introduced. After a salesman refers to a soft drink bottle as being "knee-high," Melo's name changes to Nehi, a brand name that becomes familiar to generations of consumers.

1925

Chero-Cola stands as a thriving business, with 315 plants located primarily in 14 southern states in the USA. Of these, 310 are bottling Chero-Cola and 263 plants are franchised for the company's fruit flavor products selling under the Nehi name.

1928

Additional plants are added, bringing the total to 463. The Nehi line becomes so successful, the company changes its name for the second time to Nehi Corporation and is listed on the New York Curb Exchange.

1933

President of the Nehi Corporation and the company's guiding light from its formation, Claud A. Hatcher dies suddenly on December 31st, leaving behind a legacy that would continue to endure well into the next century.

1934

Mr. Hatcher is succeeded as president by H.R. Mott who tasks chief chemist Rufas Kamm with the development of a new cola drink. The product is to be called Royal Crown Cola, named after Hatcher's original ginger ale.

1940

Nehi stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, with the company's products available in 47 of the 48 United States.

1941

"Best By Taste Test" publicity campaign begins, using blind taste tests more than three decades before other soft drink manufacturers. National newspaper advertising is in wide use, with simultaneous ads in some 600 daily newspapers.

1946

Celebrities like Bing Crosby, Joan Crawford, Shirley Temple, Lucille Ball, and Ronald Reagan enhance advertising for Nehi. Color advertisements appear in the "Saturday Evening Post" and "Good Housekeeping."

1959

RC Cola earns its distinction as the company's mainstay product when Nehi, Inc. becomes Royal Crown Cola Company.

1962

The soft drink industry's first sugar-free diet beverage, a product the Los Angeles times selects as the "Leading New Product of the 1960s," Diet Rite Cola hits retail shelves nationwide and creates thousands of new jobs.

1976

Royal Crown Cola Company purchased fast-food franchiser Arby's, and two years later became Royal Crown Cola Companies Inc.

1984

The soft drink division becomes part of the DWG Corporation, which introduces Cherry RC, Diet RC Cola, and an eight-flavor line of Diet Rite.

1993

Triarc Companies, Inc. acquired Royal Crown Cola Company.

2000

Royal Crown Cola Company is acquired by Cadbury Schweppes.

2001

Royal Crown Cola International is acquired by Cott Corporation.

2005

Royal Crown Cola commemorates its 100th Anniversary.

2010

Royal Crown Cola International provides RC Cola's legendary taste along with its expanding portfolio of products to over 60 countries around the world.

2013

Royal Crown Cola International introduces RC Cola Neo, a cola that uses natural sweeteners stevia and cane sugar to provide a great tasting cola with only half the calories.