Introduction

Background about the soda industry in general

Strictly speaking, carbonated beverages in the form of beer and champagne have been around for
centuries. Carbonated drinks that don't pack an alcoholic punch have a shorter history. By the 17th
century, Parisian street vendors were selling a noncarbonated version of lemonade, and cider
certainly wasn't all that hard to come by but the first drinkable man-made glass of carbonated water
wasn't invented until the 1760s.
 1760s: Carbonation techniques were first developed.
 1789: Jacob Schweppe began selling seltzer in Geneva.
 1798: The term "soda water" was coined.
 1800: Benjamin Silliman produced carbonated water on a large scale.
 1810: The first U.S. patent was issued for the manufacture of imitation mineral water.
 1819: The "soda fountain" was patented by Samuel Fahnestock.
 1835: The first soda water was bottled in the U.S.
No one knows exactly when or by whom flavorings and sweeteners were first added to seltzer but
mixtures of wine and carbonated water became popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. By
the 1830s, flavored syrups made from berries and fruit were developed, and by 1865, a supplier was
advertising different seltzers flavored with pineapple, orange, lemon, apple, pear, plum, peach,
apricot, grape, cherry, black cherry, strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry, pear, and melon. But perhaps
the most significant innovation in the realm of soda flavoring came in 1886, when J.S. Pemberton,
using a combination of kola nut from Africa and cocaine from South America, created the iconic taste
of Coca-Cola.
 1833: The first effervescent lemonade was sold.
 1840s: Soda counters were added to pharmacies.
 1850: A manual hand-and-foot-operated filling and corking device was first used for bottling
soda water.
 1851: Ginger ale was created in Ireland.
 1861: The term "pop" was coined.
 1874: The first ice-cream soda was sold.
 1876: Root beer was mass-produced for public sale for the first time.
 1881: The first cola-flavored beverage was introduced.
 1885: Charles Alderton invented "Dr. Pepper" in Waco, Texas.
 1886: Dr. John S. Pemberton created "Coca-Cola" in Atlanta, Georgia.
 1892: William Painter invented the crown bottle cap.
 1898: Caleb Bradham invented "Pepsi-Cola."
 1899: The first patent was issued for a glass blowing machine used to produce glass bottles.
The soft drink industry expanded rapidly. By 1860, there were 123 plants bottling soft drink water in
the United States. By 1870, there were 387, and by 1900, there were 2,763 different plants.
The temperance movement in the United States and Great Britain is credited with spurring the
success and popularity of carbonated beverages, which were seen as wholesome alternatives to
alcohol. Pharmacies serving soft drinks were respectable, bars selling alcohol were not.
 1913 Gas-motored trucks replaced horse-drawn carriages as delivery vehicles.
 1919: The American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages was formed.
 1920: The U.S. Census reported the existence of more than 5,000 bottling plants.
 1920s: The first automatic vending machines dispensed soda into cups.
 1923: Six-pack soft drink cartons called "Hom-Paks" were created.
 1929: The Howdy Company debuted its new drink "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Sodas"
(later renamed 7•up).
 1934: Colored labeling makes its soft-drink-bottle debut. In the original process, the coloring
was baked on the bottle.
 1942: The American Medical Association recommended Americans limit their intake of added
sugar in diets and specifically mentioned soft drinks.
 1952: The first diet soft drink—a ginger ale called "No-Cal Beverage" produced by Kirsch—
was sold.
 1957: Aluminum cans for soft drinks were introduced.
 1959: The first diet cola was sold.
 1962: The pull-ring tab was invented by Alcoa. It was first marketed by the Pittsburgh
Brewing Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
 1963: In March, the "Pop Top" beer can, invented by Ermal Fraze of Kettering, Ohio, was
introduced by the Schlitz Brewing Company.
 1965: Soft drinks in cans were first dispensed from vending machines.
 1965: The resealable top was invented.
 1966: The American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages was renamed the National Soft Drink
Association.
 1970: Plastic bottles for soft drinks were introduced.
 1973: The PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottle was created.
 1974: The stay-on tab was introduced by the Falls City Brewing Company of Louisville,
Kentucky.
 1979: Mello Yello soft drink was introduced by The Coca-Cola Company as competition
against Mountain Dew.
 1981: The "talking" vending machine was invented.
 1994: Studies linking sugary drinks to weight gain were first reported.
 2004: The first connection with Type 2 diabetes and SSB consumption was published.
 2009: SSB Weight gain in children and adults was confirmed.
 2009: With a mean tax rate of 5.2 percent, 33 states implement taxes on soft drinks.
 2013: New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a law prohibiting businesses from
selling SSBs larger than 16 ounces. The law was rejected on appeal.
 2014: The relationship between SSB intake and hypertension was confirmed.
 2016: Seven state legislatures, eight city governments, and the Navajo Nation issue or
propose laws restricting sales, imposing taxes, and/or requiring warning labels on SSBs.
 2019: In a study of 80,000 women released by the journal, Stroke, it was found that
postmenopausal women who drink two or more artificially sweetened beverages per day
(whether carbonated or not) were linked to an earlier risk of stroke, heart disease, and early
death.(1)
Background information about soda industry in Egypt
Since 1920: In the tapestry of Egypt’s beverage history, a notable thread emerges in the form of the
Spiro Spathis Company, founded in 1920 by the visionary Greek expatriate of the same name.
Pioneering a groundbreaking chapter, this company etched its mark as the producer of Egypt’s
inaugural soda drink, unveiling the refreshing lemonade flavour which would soon become a beloved
staple. After the boycott movement, Spiro Spathis, which is now 100% locally owned and produced,
has seen unprecedented popularity and sales. Long ago, Spiro Spathis and his soda empire garnered
prestigious recognition when King Farouk the First bestowed Spathis with the esteemed King’s
Medal, a testament to the beverage’s unparalleled excellence in a competitive landscape of 56 other
factories. Beyond royal acknowledgement, the company ascended to the status of the Official Soda
Supplier to the King’s Palace, a position of great honour and distinction. Yet, the pinnacle of acclaim
came from the hearts of the people, as Spiro Spathis soda became the people’s drink. Its popularity
extended to the echelons of Egyptian celebrities, earning the admiration of iconic figures like Om
Kalthom, the cherished national voice of Egypt. (2)
Since 1962: PepsiCo entered the Egyptian market in 1962, when it established a partnership with the
El-Nasr Bottling Company. The partnership enabled PepsiCo to produce and distribute its products
across the country. Over the years, PepsiCo Egypt has expanded its operations, acquired new
businesses, and formed strategic alliances to diversify its product portfolio and strengthen its
presence in the market.(3)
Established in 1994, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Egypt was originally a joint venture between the
Coca-Cola Company, MAC Investments SAE, and Atlantic Industries. In 2022, the Coca-Cola Bottling
Company of Egypt became part of the Coca-Cola HBC (CCHBC) family, following the completion of its
acquisition.(4)

Reference:
1) The History of Soda Pop and Carbonated Beverages (thoughtco.com)
2) Bubbles and Legacy: The Rich History of Spiro Spathis, Egypt’s Iconic Soda Beverage – Cairo 360 Guide
to Cairo, Egypt
3) PepsiCo Egypt (docx) - Course Sidekick
4) At A Glance | Coca-Cola HBC (coca-colahellenic.com)