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In 1937 Waco, Texas, Grover C. Thomsen and R.H. Roark created a new American soft drink.
Despite the lingering effects of the Great Depression, they converted a small laboratory into their testing ground.
There, they mixed and measured, searching for a distinctive flavor.
Their breakthrough came with a red cream soda—vibrant in color, smooth in taste.
They named it Sun Tang Red Cream Soda, drawing inspiration from the Texas sun that blazed outside their workshop doors.
The invention of Big Red began in Kentucky's rolling hills.
R.H. Roark, a co-creator of the beverage, owned Louisville's R.C. Bottling Company—a crucial advantage that shaped the drink's early distribution.
In his bottling facility, Roark introduced Kentucky's residents to the distinctive red cream soda.
By the late 1960s, Sun Tang Red Cream Soda had carved out a loyal following across the Southern United States.
Then a chance encounter reshaped its future.
On a golf course in San Antonio, company president Harold Jansing chatted with his caddy.
The young man casually called the drink "Big Red."
Those two words captured something essential about the product—its boldness, its directness, its appeal.
Jansing recognized the power of this simpler name.
In 1969, he abandoned "Sun Tang Red Cream Soda" and rebranded the drink as "Big Red."
Big Red surged in popularity into the new millennium, transforming from a regional drink into a national beverage competitor.
Its distinct flavor drew loyal customers and drove steady growth.
By 2002, Big Red had climbed to become America's sixth-largest soft drink company, maintaining this position through 2004.
This rise was helped by a focus on distribution efforts that brought Big Red to stores nationwide.
In 2007, Gary Smith acquired Big Red Ltd., recognizing the soft drink brand's market potential.
Citigroup Venture Capital and Goldman Sachs provided the financial backing for this purchase.
Smith's leadership brought immediate changes to the company's direction and operations.
In 2008, Keurig Dr Pepper invested in Big Red, Inc., purchasing a minority stake in the business.
This partnership strengthened both companies' market positions.
The relationship continues to shape Big Red's distribution today, with Keurig Dr Pepper handling 80% of the brand's annual product volume through its distribution network.
In 2009, Big Red moved its headquarters from Waco to Austin, Texas.
While Waco remained the birthplace of the iconic soft drink, the company needed to adapt to changing market conditions.
The move to Austin positioned Big Red to tap into the city's growing business community and entrepreneurial culture, while preserving the company's Texas heritage.
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