Canadian History for Kids: Canada Dry

This Canadian History for Kids exclusive, looks at Canada Dry, truly, a Canadian thing!!

In 1890, Canadian pharmacist and chemist John J. McLaughlin of Enniskillen, Ontario opened a carbonated water plant in Toronto, which he sold to drugstores in siphons as a mixer for fruit juices and flavoured extracts.

After hundreds of experiments, McLaughlin achieved the perfect formula and in 1904, McLaughlin created “Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale”. On January 18, 1905 – he was awarded a patent for the new beverage. The label featuring a beaver atop a map of Canada. It later was replaced with the present Crown and shield.

When McLaughlin began shipping his product to New York in 1919, it became so popular that he opened a plant in Manhattan, New York

After McLaughlin’s death, the company was run briefly by Sam. P. D. Saylor and Associates who bought the business from the McLaughlin family in 1923 and formed Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Inc., a public company.

Canadian History for Kids has learned in the early days, corner drug stores were the major outlets for the carbonated beverage industry. McLaughlin changed all that by developing mass bottling techniques and serving Canada Dry where people gathered, such as ballparks and beaches. In fact, Canada Dry pioneered many of the standards throughout the beverage industry.

For Canada Dry, the Roaring ’20s roared with success. Even the high price of 35 cents for a 355ml bottle didn’t slow sales down. The ’30s saw the introduction of Canada Dry Club Soda, quickly followed by Tonic Water.
During the ’50s and ’60s, Canada Dry was the first of the major soft drink companies to introduce sugar-free drinks and put soft drink beverages in cans.

In 2004, Canada Dry celebrated its 100th anniversary with the Festival of Fire sponsorship, which takes place every July on Toronto’s waterfront

Canada Dry.

Now that’s a Canadian thing!

And that’s this week’s Canadian History for Kids, exclusive!
 

Other Canadian History for Kids Sketches of Canada