Sun Drop

Infobox Beverage
name= Sun Drop


type= Citrus soda
abv=
proof=
manufacturer= Dr Pepper Snapple Group
distributor= Local bottlers and distributors
origin= Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S.
introduced= 1949
discontinued=
colour=
flavour=
variants= Diet Sun Drop
Caffeine Free Sun Drop
Caffeine Free Diet Sun Drop
Cherry Lemon Sun Drop

Sun Drop is a citrus-flavored soda produced by Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Like other citrus sodas, it has a yellowish-green color imparted by Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. It is known for its high caffeine (64.7mg per 12oz can) Citation
last = Raloff
first = Janet
title = Measuring Soft Drinks' Jolt
url = http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070825/food.asp
accessdate = 2008-08-28] and sugar content. Orange juice is an ingredient in the drink, and remaining pulp matter from the orange juice provide some of the soft drink's taste and appearance. A diet variety was introduced in 1985.

Sun Drop was developed in St. Louis, Missouri in 1949 by soft-drink salesman Charles Lazier. In the 1950s and 1960s Sun Drop was sometimes produced under names such as "Sun Drop Golden Cola" or "Golden Girl Cola". The brand was acquired and standardized by Crush International in 1970, itself purchased by Procter & Gamble in 1980, which sold its soft drinks holdings to Cadbury Schweppes plc (now Dr Pepper Snapple Group) in 1989. [Citation
url =http://www.brandspeoplelove.com/csab/Brands/Sundrop/Sundrop/tabid/162/Default.aspx
accessdate = 2008-08-30]

Sun Drop has maintained extraordinary popularity in the region surrounding St. Louis - including central-western Missouri counties and many of the smaller towns and villages of Madison County, Illinois, but generally not including St. Louis County or St. Louis itself - as well as in the Carolinas, rural areas in the Southside area of Virginia, (Southampton County in particular), the Jackson Purchase area of western Kentucky, south-central and northeastern Wisconsin, the Tennessee Valley areas of Middle Tennessee and North Alabama, and west central Minnesota. However, the drink remains relatively unknown in most of the United States.Fact|date=August 2008 Like other regional drinks with a cult following such as Cheerwine, fans outside bottling areas have been known to pay large amounts to have the drink shipped to them.Fact|date=August 2008

There are five varieties of the drink available for sale: Sun Drop (green can), Diet Sun Drop (white can, 71.5mg caffeine) , Caffeine Free Sun Drop, Cherry Lemon Sun Drop, and Caffeine Free Diet Sun Drop.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, the drink was promoted in the South by NASCAR Winston Cup driver Dale Earnhardt.Fact|date=August 2008

Other Products

In some Food Lion grocery stores, Sun Drop is the main flavor of a Food Lion brand popsicle and sherbert. [ Citation
last = Lowrance
first = Jeff
title = Food Lion Introduces Sundrop Sherbet and Sundrop Swirl Ice Cream
date = 2003-05-21
year = 2003
url = http://www.foodlion.com/apps/FoodLionNews/default.aspx?document_id=683
accessdate = 2008-08-28]

There are several types of desserts, energy drinks, and types of candy where Sun Drop is the main ingredient.Fact|date=August 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.sundrop.com Sundrop.com]
* [http://www.sundropbottling.com Sundropbottling.com]
* [http://www.sundrop.net Prescott Bottling Company - Sundrop.net]
* [http://www.justicefordonna.com Murders at Sun Drop Bottling - Concord NC]