About RC Cola International
RC Cola is not just an American icon; one of the original American colas, it's also a legend with a history spanning over 100 years.
Royal Crown Cola was born from the efforts of a young pharmacist in Columbus, Georgia, USA in 1905. After a disagreement with a local soda bottler, Claud A. Hatcher began creating his own soft drinks. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that his experiments would become an American icon affectionately nicknamed RC Cola.
Unveiling a series of industry firsts - the first aluminum cans, 16oz bottlers, low-calorie and caffeine-free diet sodas - Royal Crown Cola maintained the same spirit of innovation established by its founder over a century ago and grew so successful it became a part of American popular culture featured in magazines, movies, and television shows.
Today, that same mindset personifies individuality and can be seen by looking no further than Royal Crown Cola International's family of distinctive products. From the crisp satisfying taste of RC Cola...to the fresh and fruity burst of RCQ's many diverse flavors...to our calorie defying yet delicious diet colas...we continue to build on our history of success by offering a wide array of products, reflecting the individuals who drink them.
Our History
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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1940
Nehi stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, with the company's products available in 47 of the 48 United States.
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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.
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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."
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1959
RC Cola earns its distinction as the company's mainstay product when Nehi, Inc. becomes Royal Crown Cola Company.
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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.
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1976
Royal Crown Cola Company purchased fast-food franchiser Arby's, and two years later became Royal Crown Cola Companies Inc.
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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.
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1993
Triarc Companies, Inc. acquired Royal Crown Cola Company.
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2000
Royal Crown Cola Company is acquired by Cadbury Schweppes.
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2001
Royal Crown Cola International is acquired by Cott Corporation.
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2005
Royal Crown Cola commemorates its 100th Anniversary.
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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.
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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.
Our Brands
Meet the family
Royal Crown Cola International Brands
Royal Crown Cola International offers a family of distinct flavors as individual as those who drink them.
Through an unwavering commitment to innovation, and by maintaining the highest level of standards and ensuring that we employ the world’s top talent, we are able to continue building on our history of success.
Royal Crown Cola International offers a wide variety of brands and products, from tea to energy drinks, from premium cranberry juice to our classic cola, we have a beverage for every consumer.



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