Today we’re diving into the fascinating history of one of the world’smost recognizable drinks: Pepsi. From its humble beginnings in a smallpharmacy in North Carolina, all the way to becoming a global brand, this is thestory of how Pepsi went from local soda to worldwide icon.
It all started in 1893, when a pharmacist named Caleb Bradham inNew Bern, North Carolina, created a refreshing, sweet carbonated beverage hecalled Brad’s Drink. Just five years later, in 1898, he renamed it Pepsi-Cola,inspired by the word ‘dyspepsia,’ which means indigestion, and of course, theword ‘cola.’ Bradham believed his drink could aid digestion while offering asweet pick-me-up.
By the early 1900s, Pepsi was bottled and sold regionally, and peopleloved its bold, crisp taste. But the road wasn’t always smooth. The companyactually went bankrupt not once, but three times — in 1923, 1931, andagain during the Great Depression. What saved Pepsi was its ability to innovate.During the 1930s, Pepsi introduced the now-famous 12-ounce bottle for justfive cents, while Coca-Cola stuck with its 6-ounce bottle at the sameprice. That smart move helped Pepsi capture a struggling market.
Through the decades, Pepsi leaned into culture and music to build itsbrand. The 1960s and 70s saw Pepsi push the idea of being the drink for the nextgeneration. In the 1980s, it made history by signing mega-stars like MichaelJackson, and later Britney Spears and Beyoncé, turning Pepsi into more thana drink — it became part of pop culture.
Today, Pepsi is more than just a cola. It’s the flagship brand of PepsiCo,a global food and beverage powerhouse that owns products like Mountain Dew,Gatorade, Tropicana, Lay’s, Doritos, and Quaker Oats. Pepsi is sold in over200 countries, with billions of cans and bottles consumed every year. It’sgone from a pharmacy creation in a small Carolina town to one of the mostrecognizable names on the planet.
So next time you crack open a cold Pepsi, remember — you’re sipping apiece of history, innovation, and culture that’s over a century in the making.
