Dr Pepper - probably the oldest soft drink in the world
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Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink. It was developed in the 1880s by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and first served around 1885. Its introduction in 1885 occurred a year before the introduction of Coca-Cola, making Dr Pepper probably the oldest soft drink.
Like Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper's recipe is a trade secret, and it is said that the recipe is kept in two halves in safe deposit boxes in two different banks in Dallas. In 1904, Dr Pepper was introduced at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition as a new type of soda with 23 ingredients.
There are many theories about the origin of the soft drink's name. Supposedly, it was named after various doctors called Dr Pepper. However, the most likely reason for the choice of name was the common practice at the time of the drink's creation of including the name 'Dr.' in the product name to give the impression that it was a healthy drink. Indeed, early advertising for this soft drink also made medical claims that it "aids digestion and restores cheerfulness, vitality and vigour".
