7 Up

December 16, 2003

7 Up is a brand of lemon-lime flavored, non-caffeinated soft drink. The rights to the brand are held by Dr Pepper Snapple Group in the United States, and PepsiCo (or its licensees) in the rest of the world. The U.S. version of the 7 Up logo includes a red spot between the '7' and 'Up'; this red spot has been animated and used as a mascot for the brand as Cool Spot. ==History[edit] == 7 Up was created by Charles Leiper Grigg, who launched his St. Louis–based company The Howdy Corporation in 1920.[1]  Grigg came up with the formula for a lemon-lime soft drink in 1929. The product, originally named "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda", was launched two weeks before the Wall Street Crash of 1929.[2]  It contained lithium citrate, a mood-stabilizing drug, until 1950.[3]  It was one of a number of patent medicine products popular in the late-19th and early-20th centuries.

Philip Morris bought 7 Up in 1978, and sold it in 1986, 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. The Dr Pepper Snapple Group was spun off from Cadbury Schweppes in 2008. ==Formula[edit] == 7 Up has been reformulated several times since its launch in 1929. In 2006, the version of the product sold in the U.S. was re-formulated so that it could be marketed as being "100% natural". This was achieved by eliminating the chelating-agent calcium disodium EDTA, and replacing sodium citrate with potassium citrate in order to reduce the beverage's sodium content.[4]  This re-formulation contains no fruit juice and [in the U.S.] is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The manufacturing process used in the production of HFCS has led some public healthand advocacy groups to challenge the ad campaign's "natural" claims.[5]  In 2007, after the Center for Science in the Public Interest threatened to sue 7 Up, it was announced that 7 Up would stop being marketed as "100% natural". Instead, It is now promoted as having "100% Natural Flavors". The controversy does not extend to other countries, such as the United Kingdom, where HFCS is not generally used in foods, including 7 Up. 7 Up is a common folk remedy, for example relieving stomach aches. In 2011, 7 Up began test-marketing a formula, called 7 Up Retro, using sugar rather than HFCS. Container labels sport the caption, "Made With Real Sugar".

There exists a myth that the 7 Up name comes from the drink having a pH over 7. That would make it neutral or alkaline 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.[6]  The real origin of the name is unclear,[7]  though Britvic claims that the name comes from the seven main ingredients in the drink.[8] ==Variations[edit] ==
 * 7 Up Retro
 * This 2011 formulation uses sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup as its sweetener. Introduced on the 2011 season finale of The Apprentice, packaging in 12 oz. cans features either the 1970s disco mirrorball themed logo or the 1980s logo. It is also available in 12 oz. glass bottles with a label inspired by 7 Up's original logo.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]  which was featured on the TV series Survivor. Product currently being test marketed.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]


 * Diet 7 Up
 * This diet soda was originally introduced in 1963 as Like<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-twoop.com_10-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]  (not to be confused with 7 Up's Like Cola from the 1980s), it was discontinued in 1969 due to the U.S. government ban of cyclamate sweetener. After reformulation, it was reintroduced as Diet 7 Up in 1970.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  It was renamed Sugar Free 7 Up in 1973 then back to Diet 7 Up in 1979.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13]  Diet 7 Up was reformulated and advertised as being sweetened with Splenda (sucralose); the formula has been re-tooled and listed the following ingredients: filtered carbonated water, natural flavors, citric acid, potassium citrate, potassium benzoate, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, calcium disodium EDTA.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  The ingredients for Diet 7 Up with Splenda are: filtered carbonated water, natural flavors, citric acid, potassium citrate, potassium benzoate, calcium disodium EDTA, acesulfame potassium, sucralose.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15]  The 7 Up Company claims they switched back to aspartame because they conducted a nationwide study showing that people preferred the taste with aspartame instead of with Splenda.

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 * Cherry 7 Up
 * Cherry 7 Up flavor, with these ingredients listed: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, potassium benzoate, red 40. One known ingredient among the "natural and artificial flavors" is apple juice. It was renamed and reformulated as Cherry 7 Up Antioxidant in January 2009. Contains 10% of U.S. daily recommended Vitamin E dosage per 8 fl oz serving  (4.2% per 100 ml) .<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[16]  On November 8, 2012, Dr Pepper Snapple Group said they will pull 7Up with antioxidants off the shelves to reformulate them by 2013. They also said that its decision was not related to the lawsuit, but because of consistency across the board.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[17] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[18]


 * Diet Cherry 7 Up
 * Diet Cherry 7 Up has recently been re-introduced due to popular demand after having been missing due to the existence of 7 Up Plus Cherry flavor.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[19]  Ingredients are: filtered carbonated water and contains 2% or less of each of the following: citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, potassium benzoate (protects flavor), aspartame, potassium citrate, acesulfame potassium, red 40. Phenylketonurics: Contains phenylalanine.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]


 * Orange 7 Up
 * This flavor was available for a short time in Norway during the mid-1990s. It was released at the same time as Raspberry 7 Up. It was a clear colored lemon, lime and orange flavored soft drink. It was pulled off the market after 2–3 years.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]  Today 7 Up Orange can still be bought in Austria.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[21]


 * Raspberry 7 Up
 * This flavor was available for a short time in Norway, Denmark (and possibly other European countries) during the late 80s. It was released at the same time as Orange 7 Up. It was a clear colored lemon, lime and raspberry flavoured soft-drink. It was pulled off the European market after 2–3 years, but can still be found in several Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore.


 * 7 Up Free
 * 7 Up Free is sold in the UK, Ireland, Norway, Argentina, Iceland, Finland, UAE, Uruguay and Pakistan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[22]  It contains no caffeine, sugar, colorings or preservatives and is marketed as "Natural Lemon and Lime flavour" similar to the "100% natural" American version. It contains a combination of artificial sugars, and for eight years was the only variety on the Norwegian market. The lack of the usual light or zero-label is confusing to Norwegian consumers, who often buy it not knowing they are buying a product with artificial sugars.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed] . In the UK, 7 Up Free has been sold in a 600ml, rather than 500ml bottle since early 2010. This is part of 7-Up's UK manufacturer Britvic's heathly living push whereby sugar free product versions are sold in a larger bottle.


 * 7 Up Lime
 * 7 Up Lime is sold in the U.S. and in Argentina. In the U.S. it is not as strong and is less carbonated. In Argentina it is much more carbonated and is 5% lime juice.


 * 7 Up Yerbabuena
 * available in Colombia at 2013 for limited time (now is for sale)


 * 7 Up Cherry
 * 7 Up Cherry is a variant currently available in the UK. It is a different drink from Cherry 7 Up and uses a different recipe.