With the advent of life, everything and every aspect of our lives has transformed and advanced. Whether it’s our eating habits, nutrition choices, or food commodities, the world has witnessed different eras ranging from raw food to processed food and extracts.
When flavored drinks replaced the water, the world was awed at this new invention of adding flavors to their food. Similarly, when carbonated drinks were first invented in the 1760s, everybody was amazed at how the addition of CO2 to these flavored drinks made it more exciting. Joseph Priestley invented the carbonation process, but it was not commercialized until 1786 by Jacob Schweppes in Switzerland.
After almost two decades, the cocktail was invented and commercialized as an alcoholic beverage. It was 1803 when the cocktail was first introduced in the United States. However, carbonated drinks have already become the mainstream item. Different brands and companies were popping up with their own brand names and flavors.
Dr Pepper was also one of the carbonated drinks that was introduced in the late 1885s in Texas, United States. In today’s article, we will discuss Dr Pepper, everything you need to know about the carbonated drink brand, and whether it is associated with Pepsi or Coca-Cola.
So let’s get into it.
What is Dr Pepper?
Dr Pepper is a carbonated drink, as we have mentioned earlier. It was introduced in the 1885s in Waco, Texas. A Brooklyn-born pharmacist, Charles Alderton, formulated the drink in Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco.
Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink initially marketed in the United States. Furthermore, the sales were expanded in Asia, South America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Initially, Dr Pepper was served in the standard flavor. However, several flavors were added to the Dr Pepper’s league.
However, the reason behind adopting the name Dr Pepper is a mystery for many. The name of the drink was given by Wade Morrison, to whom Charles Alderton handed over the formula. The name was later stylized as Dr Pepper. But the mystery of this name has been tried to be solved by several people. A popular theory exists that states Morrison gave the drink name Dr Pepper after the name Charles T. Pepper from Virginia as gratitude to the doctor.
The color of the drink is caramel, and there are around 23 flavors.
History of Dr Pepper
As mentioned earlier, Charles Alderton developed the formula of Dr Pepper in 1885. He offered the first drink to the owner of the store to check the taste. The owner of the store, Wade Morrison, liked the taste. The reason Alderton offered the drink to Morrison was probably a celebration of a new deal they made.
Despite being developed in 1885, the drink was nationally introduced in 1904 in the US at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The most enticing thing about the soda was that 23 flavors were fused to develop it.
Although the formula of the drink is still a trade secret, there is a rumor about the recipe being kept in two halves in safe deposit banks of two banks in Dallas. There were also rumors about the presence of prune juice in Dr Pepper, which the official Dr Pepper FAQs debunked.
The history of the popularity of Dr Pepper is unquestionable regardless of which region. However, the current distributor of Dr. Pepper is Keurig Dr. Pepper in the United States. The distribution rights of Dr Pepper in the UK, Japan, and South Korea are with The Coca-Cola Company. Similarly, PepsiCo is responsible for Dr. Pepper’s distribution in Canada and Oceania.
Is Dr Pepper Associated With Pepsi and Coke?
Now, let’s address the question being asked about the association of Dr Pepper with the global monopolistic leaders of soft drinks: PepsiCo and Coca-Cola. It is a popular belief that Dr Pepper might be the drink that Coca-Cola or PepsiCo developed. However, the truth is entirely different from what is perceived.
Dr. Pepper is currently owned by Keurig Dr Pepper, the company which was founded by the merger of Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper Snapple in 2018. Dr Pepper was originally owned by Dr Pepper Incorporated and The 7 Up company. The modification of Dr Pepper/Seven Up, In., turned the company into Dr Pepper Snapple Group in 2006. It remained as it was till 2018, when Keurig Dr Pepper, after its merger with Keurig Green Mountain.
The reason to tell the whole history and series of owners of the company is to make sure that the drink has nothing to do with Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola Company and Pepsi have distribution rights over the drink in certain international markets other than the United States.
Is Dr Pepper A Coke Product Or A Pepsi?
If you want the direct and short answer to this question, it is not the product of Coke or Pepsi. Mere distribution and bottling rights in specific region doesn’t establish Dr Pepper as belonging to any one of the beverage brands of the world. Dr. Pepper is owned by Keurig Dr Pepper(KDP), which was established in 2018 after the merger of Dr Pepper Snapple and Keurig Green Mountain.
It is common to wonder what the relationship between Dr. pepper and Coke makes this a very hot debate around the market. We have already answered this question that the Coca-Cola company distributes Dr. Pepper in some regions of the world. In the US, there is no relationship between Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper.
In general, we can explain the link between the two brands as bittersweet. It is evident that Coke is a distributing partner of Dr Pepper in non-US markets, but both brands have never been accommodative brothers to each other. Instead, Coke has done everything possible to halt the journey of Dr. Pepper in the markets. However, it has always failed, and Dr. Pepper has a holding foot in the US markets.
Ingredients Of Dr Pepper
Since it is a common belief that 23 flavors have been fused to develop the unique taste of Dr Pepper, many are curious to know what are the ingredients of the soda drink. It has been the company’s trade secret since its introduction in the market. However, some of the ingredients in the Dr. Pepper drink are very obvious to know.
Here are the nutritional facts and ingredients of the Dr. Pepper drink which have been identified from scientific means:
Nutritional Facts
- The total number of calories in each serving of the drink is 100, and one serving is equal to 240 ml.
- The drink contains no protein or fats.
- The amount of sodium is 35mg in one serving, and it is about 1% of the total daily value of sodium required by our body.
- The amount of carbohydrates, which is actually sugar, is 27 g in every 240 ml. It is about 9% of the daily value of carbohydrates the human body requires.
Ingredients
The ingredients of the drink identified in scientific research are as follows:
- Carbonated water
- High fructose corn syrup
- Caramel color
- Caffeine
- Phosphoric acid
- Artificial and natural flavors
- Sodium benzoate as the preservative for the drink
In some markets, high fructose corn syrup is not used as an ingredient; instead, sugar is used to get the effect.
Conclusion
We have discussed everything you should know about Dr Pepper, from its introduction in the market to name theories and expansion around the globe. We have also answered the most asked questions about Dr Pepper, including if Dr. Pepper will be a Coke product in 2023 or before. We would like to imply again that there is no relationship between Dr Pepper and Coke. Instead, the only link between the two is that the company Coca-Cola has the distributing rights of the Dr Pepper products in the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea.
FAQs About Dr Pepper
1. Is Dr Pepper a Coke product in 2023?
The short answer to this question is no. Dr. Pepper is neither a Coke product nor a company owned by Coke in 2023 or before. Dr Pepper is an independent company selling carbonated soda in the US and non-US markets. It is one of the big business rivals of Coke and Pepsi in the US markets. However, due to Coke having distributing rights in some non-US markets, it is an impression that Dr Pepper is a product of Coke after 2018.
2. Is Dr Pepper considered a cola?
Many people think Dr Pepper is a cola due to its caramel-like color and being distributed by Coca-Cola in some of the non-US markets. The perception of Dr. Pepper being cola is more common in non-US markets. Yet another reason why Dr. Pepper is considered cola is due to their deals with Coca-Cola. However, we should be more focused on why it is not cola. So legally, a federal court gave a ruling in 1963 that Dr Pepper has a unique flavor that is far away from Coke and, therefore, it is not a cola.
3. What is the flavor of Dr Pepper?
Over 23 flavors of Dr Pepper are currently being sold in different US and non-US markets. If you want to know about the flavors of Dr. Pepper, here are the popular ones: blackberry, licorice, apricot, almond, cola, cherry, vanilla, plum, cardamom, nutmeg, orange, coriander, lemon, allspice, birch, prickly ash, molasses, anise, ginger, pepper, sarsaparilla, caramel, etc.
4. Is Doctor Pepper an alcoholic?
If you wonder why Dr Pepper is an alcoholic drink due to its caramel-like color, you’re wrong. Dr Pepper is a 100% non-alcoholic drink and just carbonated soda water. According to the official FAQs and different scientific research, no alcoholic content has been found in the Dr Pepper.
5. Is caffeine present in Dr Pepper?
Yes. Caffeine is an important ingredient in the Dr Pepper. Like most carbonated beverages, caffeine is also present in Dr Pepper. None of the flavors of Dr Pepper is caffeine-free. Therefore, if you’re not in favor of consuming caffeine, you should be well aware of the fact and make the decision to buy the soft drink accordingly.
6. Does McDonald’s have Dr Pepper?
McDonald’s is one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world, and it has several partnerships with different brands at global and regional levels. Therefore, you will see McDonald’s serving different brands along with their main menu at different locations. Similarly, the European market has McDonald’s, where Dr Pepper is served on the menu. As per the available information, the small serving of McDonald’s Dr Pepper Paris is 140 calories.
7. Why is it called Dr Pepper?
There have been several myths and stories about the company’s adoption of the name of Dr Pepper. We have already mentioned the popular one which relates to Morrison regarding his first employer by giving the drink his name. However, the research has shown that Morrison never worked with Dr Pepper, which might be just a myth. One of the justifiable reasons for the name is that when the drink was introduced, it was a common marketing tactic to use words like Dr. to give the impression that the products were healthful. Some of the related products introduced at that time were Dr Wells, Dr Thunder, etc.
8. How many ingredients are in Dr Pepper?
It is a trade secret of every brand or company not to reveal its products’ ingredients. Therefore, it is always hard to tell exactly how many ingredients are present in Dr Pepper. However, the generally locatable ingredients are carbonated water, sugar/high fructose corn syrup, caffeine, phosphoric acid, flavors(natural and artificial), caramel color, and preservatives.
9. What are the top 3 ingredients in Dr Pepper?
The top 3 ingredients of Dr Pepper drink, regardless of the flavor, are carbonated water, caffeine, and high fructose corn syrup. However, in some markets, high fructose corn syrup is not used in the drink, and sugar is added instead.
