7 Up

**7 Up** (originally named as **Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda**, and **7 Up Lithiated Lemon Soda** in the United States) is first introduced in 1929 in the United States. It is the main drink in the 7 Up line and is commonly referred to as the "original" flavor in the world that is being sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines.

## **Description**

7 Up is lemon-lime flavored soda and is clear in color, which is similar to Bubble Up, Sprite, and Starry

## **History**

7 Up was first established in the early years of 1920 by Charles Leiper Grigg of the Howdy Corporation in Saint Louis, United States, after two years of testing 11 different recipes. Originally named "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda", the 7 Up brand was born in 1929, two weeks before the historic Wall Street crisis.

It contained lithium citrate, a mood-stabilizing drug, until 1948. It was one of a number of patent medicine products popular in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. Its name was later shortened to "7 Up Lithiated Lemon Soda" before being further shortened to just "7 Up" by 1936.

A myth exists that the 7 Up name comes from the drink having a pH over 7. That would make it neutral or basic on the scale; however, this is not the case, as the 7 Up pH is close to 3.79, similar to other drinks of the type. The real origin of the name is unclear, though Britvic claims that the name comes from the seven main ingredients in the drink, while others have claimed that the number was a coded reference to the lithium contained in the original recipe, which has an atomic mass around 7. Britvic also claims that the name is a result of the fact that 7 Up was bottled in 7-ounce bottles (Coca-Cola and most other soft drinks were bottled in 6-ounce bottles).

Westinghouse Electric Corporation bought 7 Up in 1969 and sold it in 1978 to Philip Morris, who then in 1986 sold it to a group led by the investment firm Hicks & Haas. 7 Up merged with Dr Pepper in 1988; Cadbury Schweppes bought the combined company in 1995. Dr Pepper Snapple Group was spun off from Cadbury Schweppes merger (1969) Cadbury Schweppes in 2008. It formed as Dr Pepper Snapple Group; Keurig Green Mountain bought Dr Pepper Snapple Group to form as Keurig Dr Pepper that is known as of today.

## Formula

Since its introduction in 1929, 7 Up has undergone multiple reformulations. One of these occurred in 2006 when the U.S. version of the product was modified to meet the standards for "100% natural" labeling. To achieve this, the chelating agent calcium disodium EDTA was removed, and sodium citrate was substituted with potassium citrate, which decreased the beverage's sodium content. Despite containing no fruit juice, this version of 7 Up was sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in the United States. However, the use of HFCS in the manufacturing process has been contested by certain public health and advocacy groups, leading to criticisms about the "natural" label. As a result, in 2007, 7 Up ceased its claim of being "100% natural" and instead advertised its "100% Natural Flavors" in the U.S. However, this controversy is not applicable to countries like the United Kingdom, where HFCS is not commonly used in food production, including 7 Up. In 2011, 7 Up launched a new product line, 7 Up Retro, which was marketed with the slogan "Made With Real Sugar". This formula was tested with sugar instead of HFCS, and the containers were labeled accordingly.

## Trivia

* The "7" in 7-up refers to the original seven main ingredients: sugar, carbonated water, essences of lemon and lime oils, citric acid, sodium citrate, and lithium citrate (which was later removed).
* In the 1950s, 7-up was marketed as a cure for hangovers, due to its alkaline properties and the high levels of bubbles which were believed to settle the stomach.
* According to the official 7-up website, the "up" in 7-up represents the drink's fizzy and uplifting qualities.