Crush Orange 2010

Don't let the fresh taste fool you, Crush goes back. Way back.

In fact it was all the way back to 1916 when Clayton J. Howell partnered with Neil C. Ward to create the Orange Crush Company (you can look even farther back to find J.M. Thompson of Chicago as the original inventor of Orange Crush in 1906).

Ward was a beverage and extract chemist who perfected the process of blending ingredients to create an exclusive formula that yielded the zesty, all-natural orange flavor of Orange Crush.

Soft drinks of the time often carried the surname of the inventor along with the product name and Ward was given the honors - Crush was first premiered as "Ward's Orange Crush."

Orange Crush was the first flavor but others followed. Crush was Lemon. Crush was Lime. By the late 60's Crush was Grape, Cherry and Pineapple too. In the 90's Crush was Tropical Punch and Crush was even Peach. Crush, however, was never Bacon, Butter or Crème Brulée, and thankfully, still isn't...

Building on all that history, today Crush is part of Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., an integrated beverage business marketing more than 50 beverage brands throughout North America. Crush Cherry made its debut in 2010, continuing Crush's spectacular growth. Crush Cherry was the first pure Cherry flavored soda that had entered the market in the past four years, and nicely rounded out Crush's amazing lineup of beverages, ensuring that Crush truly has a flavor for everyone in the family.

Look at it this way. For all we know, Great-Great-Great Grandma was slamming down Crush as she listened to the first radio broadcast ever. Marilyn could have had an ice-cold Crush waiting in her trailer after her lips scorched the celluloid right out of the cameras. Britney may even rush to the nearest store to pick up her favorite Crush before a big performance. And you could be sucking back a Crush before you nail the world's first switch backside 1080 at the skatepark. We can dream can't we? Clayton J. Howell did. So why don't you grab a Crush and make some history?

What's in a name?

Clayton J. Howell included the word "crush" in the original soft drink's name to refer to the process of extracting oils from oranges.