Who owns Mountain Dew? Mountain Dew is owned by PepsiCo, a multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation. PepsiCo was formed through the merger of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay in 1965. The company owns and manages a wide range of popular products and brands, including Pepsi, Lay’s, Gatorade, and Quaker. Mountain Dew is one of their well-known beverage brands, offering a variety of carbonated soft drinks.
Company History
Mountain Dew is a carbonated soft drink brand that was created in 1940 by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman. The original formula was developed as a mixer for whiskey, with the name “Mountain Dew” being a slang term for moonshine at the time. Over the years, the ownership of Mountain Dew has changed several times, with the drink eventually being acquired by PepsiCo. Below is a summary of how the ownership has evolved over time:
1. 1940s:
The Hartman brothers, Barney and Ally, created the original Mountain Dew formula as a citrus-flavored soda for mixing with whiskey.
2. 1950s:
Bill Bridgewater, the owner of Tri-City Beverage, acquired the bottling rights to the Mountain Dew brand. At this time, the first-ever Mountain Dew bottles featuring the iconic “hillbilly” character on the label were produced.
3. 1964:
Pepsi-Cola Company (later renamed PepsiCo) acquired the Tip Corporation, a small bottler from Marion, Virginia, which held both the Mountain Dew brand and the production rights. This acquisition made PepsiCo the official owner of Mountain Dew.
4. 1966-1969:
PepsiCo made significant changes to the Mountain Dew brand, including revising the formula to give it a lighter, more citrusy flavor, while also changing the packaging and marketing strategy. Since the late 1960s, Mountain Dew has remained under the ownership of PepsiCo, which has continued to develop new flavors, marketing campaigns, and promotional strategies for the brand.
In summary, Mountain Dew was created by the Hartman brothers in 1940, which then became part of the Pepsi-Cola Company (now PepsiCo) in 1964. Since then, PepsiCo has owned and managed the Mountain Dew brand.
Who was the original founder?
Mountain Dew was originally created in the 1940s by two brothers, Barney and Ally Hartman. They were beverage bottlers from Knoxville, Tennessee. The Hartman brothers aimed to develop a mixer for bourbon and other types of alcohol, as they found the mixers available at the time to be unsatisfactory.
The formula they developed was derived from a citrus-based soft drink named Natural Set Up, which was sold regionally in Tennessee. Barney and Ally Hartman were initially involved in their father’s bottling company, Hartman Beverage, which bottled and distributed various soft drinks. They decided to experiment with their own formulations, which led to the development of the original Mountain Dew recipe.
In 1948, they designed a label featuring a 1940s hillbilly and trademarked the name “Mountain Dew” (a slang term for moonshine at the time).
The product was initially sold locally around Knoxville, but it struggled to gain widespread popularity. In 1961, the brand and formula were acquired by the Tip Corporation of Marion, Virginia. Bill Jones, one of Tip Corporation’s board members, revised the original formula and added more sugar to it, giving it a brighter, more citrusy taste.
The revised formula increased the drink’s popularity, and in 1964, PepsiCo acquired both Tip Corporation and Mountain Dew. Since then, Mountain Dew has become a successful brand under the PepsiCo umbrella, evolving its image and flavor profiles over the years to appeal to a wider audience.
FAQs about Mountain Dew Ownership
Who owns the Mountain Dew brand?
Mountain Dew is owned by PepsiCo, one of the world’s leading food and beverage companies.
When did PepsiCo acquire Mountain Dew?
PepsiCo gained ownership of the Mountain Dew brand in 1964 when they acquired the Tip Corporation of Marion, Virginia.
Who created Mountain Dew?
Mountain Dew was originally invented in 1940 by Barney and Ally Hartman, two Tennessee beverage bottlers.
What is the purpose of Mountain Dew?
Mountain Dew was initially created as a mixer for whiskey, but has since evolved into a popular and widely consumed standalone soft drink.
What flavors and variations does Mountain Dew offer?
Mountain Dew has a variety of flavors and variations, including original, Diet Mountain Dew, Code Red, LiveWire, Pitch Black, Baja Blast, and many others.
Sources for More Information
- PepsiCo – Official Website
- Wikipedia – Mountain Dew
- Statista – PepsiCo
- Food Business News – Pepsi-Cola’s New Product Development
Featured image provided by Sachin Mittal; Pexels; Thanks!
