Cheerwine

Type	Cherry soda
Manufacturer	Carolina Beverage Corporation
Distributor	Local bottlers and distributors
Country of origin	United States
Introduced	1917
Variants	Diet Cheerwine Retro Cheerwine
Website	www.cheerwine.com

Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored soft drink produced by the Carolina Beverage Corporation of Salisbury, North Carolina. It has been produced since 1917 by "the oldest continuing soft drink company still run by the same family".

Overview and history

When the Maysville Syrup Company of Maysville, Kentucky went bankrupt in 1917, L.D. Peeler and other invested businessmen moved the company to North Carolina and renamed it the Carolina Beverage Corporation. That same year, Peeler purchased a recipe for a cherry flavored soda from a Saint Louis flavor salesman, which eventually became Cheerwine. Though it had been around since 1917, Cheerwine first became a registered trademark in 1926.

bottle circa 1920 on display at the North Carolina Museum of History

Cheerwine has a mildly sweet flavor with strong cherry notes, most notably black cherry; is burgundy-colored, and has an unusually high degree of carbonation compared to other soft drinks. The product was named for its color and taste; the company website states that "it made sense to name a burgundy-red, bubbly, cherry concoction—Cheerwine."  The "Retro Cheerwine" variant is sold in glass bottles and is sweetened with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Despite its name, Cheerwine is not really a wine and contains no alcohol.

The company also markets Cheerwine flavored ice cream, sherbet, and cream bars, mainly in Food Lion, a Salisbury-based supermarket chain. A commercially-baked Cheerwine cake, based on an old Southern recipe, became available through a Salisbury-based company in 2008.

In 2009, the company began a re-branding campaign designed to revamp the drink's image, especially among younger consumers. The re-branding called for a redesign of the Cheerwine packaging, with a new, retro-style logo based on an early Cheerwine logo.

In 2010, Cheerwine partnered with the North Carolina-based donut company, Krispy Kreme, and released a limited-offered Cheerwine flavored donut on July 1 of that year. It was sold only at select grocery stores for the month of July, and at the Salisbury Krispy Kreme. The Cheerwine doughnut returned again in July 2011.

Morgan Shepherd ran an entry in the Nascar Busch Series (now the Nationwide Series) in the mid-1990's with Cheerwine sponsorship.

Availability

Cheerwine is available in much of the southeastern United States, from West Virginia south to Florida, but is better known in the Carolinas and Virginia. Other spots to find Cheerwine are the many "specialty soda" stores throughout the country. In addition, it is also available in Norway

In April 2005, other regions of the United States began to bottle Cheerwine, mainly through Pepsi distributors.
 
A fan-created website, CheerwineFinder.com, was launched with the purpose of enabling people to find and identify local Cheerwine retailers.

On March 9, 2011, the New York Times Diner's Journal referred to "The Expanding Cult of Cheerwine."

On April 5, 2011, the company announced plans for nationwide distribution by 2017, which would be the product's 100th anniversary. The same day, the company also introduced a new advertising campaign, "Born in the South. Raised in a glass." At the time, Cheerwine was available in 12 percent of the nation. Radio commercials include "The Caper", where criminals left everything from a store except Cheerwine; and "Battle of the Bulge", in which a soldier from the Salisbury area has two bottles sent to him during World War II and gives one to his friend.

Also in April 2011, Cheerwine announced it was searching for a woman to represent the company as "Miss Cheerwine." Candidates had be 21 to 25 years old and live in Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia. A company spokesperson stated, "We’re looking for a poised, enthusiastic young woman who can help us spread the legend and get Cheerwine into the hands of our fans with charm, confidence, sweetness and a sense of fun." On June 3, 2011, Spencer Cummings, named the first Miss Cheerwine, began the Miss Cheerwine Summer Legend Tour.

On October 18, 2011, Cheerwine announced plans to partner with Pepsi Beverages Co. in Florida, Atlanta, and Memphis, Tennessee. The same week, the company began using glass bottles to distribute the "Original 1917 Formula" with sugar, as well as introducing 12-pack cans.

Cheerwine has sponsored the North Carolina band the Avett Brothers on tour.

External links

Official website

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