Madeleine Hull
Big Red is a soft drink created in 1937 in Waco, Texas, and was originally known as Sun Tang Red Cream Soda. It is now produced and distributed by various independent bottlers including Keurig Dr Pepper, CCE, and Pepsi Bottling Group. The drink is especially popular in the Southern United States, known for its unique taste and red color. Its flavor is a combination of lemon and orange oils, mixed with vanilla. Big Red Inc. first ventured into the diet market in 1976 with Diet Big Red, which was later rebranded as Big Red Zero Sugar. This new iteration of the drink was formulated with zero calories and no sugar, while retaining the flavor of the original drink.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Diet Big Red (also known as Big Red Zero Sugar, Big Red Zero, and Big Red Zero Calories) |
| Type | Soft drink |
| Manufacturer | Big Red Inc. |
| Distributors | Keurig Dr Pepper, CCE, and Pepsi Bottling Group |
| Variants | Zero sugar, zero calories |
| Taste | Less flavorful than the original Big Red |
| Nutritional Information | Fat-free, sodium-free, carbohydrate-free, sugar-free |
| Sweeteners | Originally saccharin, then NutraSweet, then sucralose, Ace-K, and aspartame |
| Package | Sleek black packaging |
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What You'll Learn
History of Big Red
Big Red is a soft drink that was created in 1937 by Grover C. Thomsen, R.H. Roark, and Robert Montes in Waco, Texas. Originally known as Sun Tang Red Cream Soda, the name was changed to "Sun Tang Big Red Cream Soda" in 1959 and then to "Big Red" in 1969. The name change came about when Harold Jansing, then president of the San Antonio bottling plant, heard a golf caddy refer to the drink as "Big Red". The name captured the essence of the product—its boldness, directness, and appeal.
Big Red is a variety of cream soda and is known for its unique taste and red colour. Its flavour is often thought to be bubble gum, but it is actually a combination of lemon and orange oils mixed with vanilla. The red hue comes from the dye added during production.
In the 1960s, Big Red began to spread beyond Texas, particularly to Central and South Texas, Louisville, Kentucky, and Southern Indiana. By the late 1960s, it had carved out a loyal following across the Southern United States. In 1976, Diet Big Red was released, which later became Big Red Zero Sugar.
Big Red was the sixth-highest-selling soft drink company in the United States from 2002 to 2004. In 2007, Big Red Ltd. was purchased by Gary Smith, with backing from Citigroup Venture Capital and Goldman Sachs. Smith serves as the chairman and CEO of Big Red and All Sport, Inc. In 2008, Keurig Dr Pepper purchased a minority interest in Big Red, Inc. and today, Dr Pepper distributes almost 80% of Big Red annually. Although the production facility remains in Waco, Texas, Big Red moved its corporate headquarters to Austin, Texas, in 2009.
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Big Red Zero Sugar
Big Red is a soft drink created in 1937 in Waco, Texas, and originally known as Sun Tang Red Cream Soda. It is a variety of cream soda with a unique taste and red colour. The drink is popular in the Southern United States, and its flavour is a combination of lemon and orange oils, mixed with vanilla.
In 2011, Big Red Inc. noticed a decline in sales of Diet Big Red, which they attributed to consumers becoming more conscious of their calorie intake. In response, the company developed 30 different variations of the diet drink and conducted taste tests in their core markets of San Antonio, Texas, and Louisville, Kentucky. One new version stood out in these taste tests, and it was launched as Big Red ZERO in late 2011, sweetened with a blend of three different sweeteners: sucralose, Ace-K, and aspartame.
The name of the drink was changed again in early 2018 to "Big Red Zero Sugar", which was announced on their Facebook page and website. Big Red Zero Sugar is produced and distributed by various independent bottlers, including Keurig Dr Pepper, CCE, and Pepsi Bottling Group, under license from Big Red, Inc., based in Austin, Texas.
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Diet Big Red formula changes
Big Red is a soft drink that was created in 1937 in Waco, Texas, and was originally known as Sun Tang Red Cream Soda. The name was changed to "Sun Tang Big Red Cream Soda" in 1959 and to “Big Red" in 1969. Big Red is produced and distributed by various independent bottlers, including Keurig Dr Pepper, CCE, and Pepsi Bottling Group, under license from Big Red, Inc., based in Austin, Texas.
Big Red's first foray into the diet market was in 1976 when they introduced Diet Big Red, also known as Big Red Zero Calories. This zero-sugar variant of Big Red was red in color and had a similar flavor to the regular Big Red but without any sugar. Initially, Diet Big Red was sweetened with saccharin, but in 1985, the company switched to NutraSweet, citing customers' preference for a product with no aftertaste.
In 2003, Diet Big Red underwent another formula change, this time switching sweeteners to sucralose. This was done after a round of taste tests indicated that the new sweetener provided a better taste, bringing it closer to the original Big Red flavor.
In 2011, Big Red, Inc. noticed a decline in Diet Big Red's sales, coinciding with a growing consumer trend toward conscious calorie intake. In response, their Research and Development department created 30 different variations of the diet drink. Taste tests were conducted in Big Red's core markets of San Antonio, Texas, and Louisville, Kentucky, and one particular version consistently scored the highest. This new version, sweetened with a blend of sucralose, Ace-K, and aspartame, was launched as Big Red ZERO in late 2011, featuring sleek black packaging targeted at diet drinkers.
In early 2018, Big Red Zero Calories was officially renamed Big Red Zero Sugar, as announced on their Facebook page and website. This name change reflected the product's zero-sugar content and helped distinguish it from other Big Red variants.
While the name and formula have evolved over time, the core characteristics of Big Red remain, with its unique taste and red color making it a popular choice in the Southern United States.
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Big Red's core markets
Big Red is a soft drink that was created in 1937 in Waco, Texas, and was originally known as Sun Tang Red Cream Soda. It is a variety of cream soda and is known for its unique taste and red colour. Big Red's core markets are primarily in the Southern United States, where it was the sixth-highest-selling soft drink from 2002 to 2004.
The drink was initially marketed exclusively in Central and South Texas, and later expanded to Louisville, Kentucky, and Southern Indiana. In 2018, Louisville mayor Greg Fischer proclaimed May 16 as "Big Red Day" in recognition of the 80th anniversary of Big Red's introduction in the city.
Big Red is produced and distributed by various independent bottlers, including Keurig Dr Pepper, CCE, and Pepsi Bottling Group, under license from Big Red, Inc., based in Austin, Texas.
While I could not find specific details on the current core markets of Big Red, it is likely that the drink continues to be popular in the regions where it was initially marketed, including Texas, Kentucky, and Indiana. These regions are known for their strong cultural ties to soft drinks, with a preference for unique and locally-produced options. Big Red's distinctive flavour and history in these regions likely contribute to its continued popularity and establish it as a core product in these markets.
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Big Red's unique taste
Big Red is a soft drink that was created in 1937 in Waco, Texas, by Grover C. Thomsen, R.H. Roark, and Robert Montes. Originally known as Sun Tang Red Cream Soda, it is a variety of cream soda with a unique taste and red colour.
Big Red's flavour is often elusive to many, and people have compared it to various things over the years. Some say it tastes like bubble gum, while others say it is more like cotton candy or candy in general. Some have also compared it to the taste of Big Red gum, although it does not contain any cinnamon. Others have likened it to red vines, sparkly kids' toothpaste, or diluted cherry Fanta. Interestingly, one person said it reminded them of a kind of gum they had as a kid, and while they didn't enjoy the taste initially, they found the aftertaste to be pretty good.
The drink is a combination of lemon and orange oils with a hint of vanilla, creating a fruity and creamy soda. It is produced and distributed by various independent bottlers, including Keurig Dr Pepper, CCE, and Pepsi Bottling Group, under license from Big Red, Inc., based in Austin, Texas.
Big Red is beloved regionally, particularly in the Southern United States, and was the sixth-highest-selling soft drink company in the country from 2002 to 2004. The drink even has its own day—16 May was proclaimed "Big Red Day" by Louisville mayor Greg Fischer in 2018, recognising the 80th anniversary of Big Red's introduction in the city.
In addition to the classic Big Red flavour, the company offers a zero-sugar version called Big Red Zero, as well as other unique and refreshing flavours such as Big Blue (raspberry), Big Peach, and Big Pineapple.
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Frequently asked questions
Diet Big Red was renamed Big Red Zero Sugar, and it is still available.
Big Red is a soft drink created in 1937 in Waco, Texas. It is a variety of cream soda and is known for its red colour and unique taste, which comes from a combination of lemon and orange oils mixed with vanilla.
Big Red Zero Sugar is a zero-sugar variant of Big Red with the same flavour but without the sugar. It was first introduced as Diet Big Red in 1976 and was Big Red Inc.'s first diet drink.
In 2011, Diet Big Red's sales were declining, and the company noticed that people were becoming more conscious of their calorie intake. Big Red, Inc. developed 30 different variations of the drink and conducted taste tests. One new version scored highly in these tests and was launched as the company's new no-calorie option, Big Red ZERO, in late 2011. The name was changed to Big Red Zero Sugar in 2018.
Some people think that Big Red Zero Sugar is not as flavorful as the original drink. However, it is a popular option for those who are conscious of their sugar or calorie intake.
