Bubble Up Soda Went From National Favorite To Niche Drink

The battle for the top spot on the ranking of lemon-lime sodas didn't only have Sprite and 7UP duking it out. One soda brand that offered "A kiss of Lemon, A kiss of Lime," and has since disappeared into relative obscurity was Bubble Up. Although 7UP is often cited as the oldest of the top-selling lemon-lime sodas, Bubble Up actually predates 7UP by 10 years, receiving its patent in 1919.

Up until the early 1960s, Bubble Up was one of the fastest growing soft drink brands in the U.S. — at least according to its ads (via Click Americana). The brand was distributed by Coca-Cola for a while, but in 1961, the soda giant debuted its own lemon-lime soda — Sprite — triggering the slow demise of Bubble Up. Just nine years later, The Bubble Up Company filed for bankruptcy and later faced a contract violation in 1973, adding to their mounting debts (via Justia).

Although Bubble Up survived, it never regained its former popularity. The brand changed hands a few more times, starting with I.C. Industries, which acquired Bubble Up along with Dad's Root Beer in the early 1970s. Yet even under new ownership, Bubble Up struggled to compete. According to the Chicago Tribune, Dad's Root Beer and Bubble Up accounted for less than 1% of the soda market at the time. After later stints with Monarch Beverage Company and Hedinger Brands, Bubble Up ultimately found a manufacturing home back with Dad's Root Beer in 2007, preserving the century-old soda for a much smaller fan base.

While Bubble Up may no longer actively compete with Sprite or 7UP, it hasn't been forgotten. People still reminisce about the old fashioned soda brand on forums and social media. Many Facebook users in the 1970s Memories by DoYouRemember.com group remarked they liked Bubble Up better than 7UP. One Reddit user in the /soda reddit also pointed out "It tastes more like actual lemons and limes, probably because they use actual lemon and lime oils."

If you're looking to taste Bubble Up now, the Dad's Root Beer website has a store locator for current Bubble Up distributors. Some beverage stores like Total Wine & More carry four packs of Bubble Up for just $6.99. They even suggest pairing it with a liquor in the "Frequently bought together" section of the product page. Whether you want to drink it as a mixer or a soda, specialty soda shops in your area may also carry it, in addition to online retailers like Amazon.

Interestingly, Bubble Up has also found a new niche in Africa. Twellium Industrial Company licensed the Bubble Up brand from Monarch Beverage Company and bottles it in Ghana and Senegal. There's even an official Instagram account for Bubble Up Africa where you can see some of the additional soda flavors beyond lemon-lime. So while Bubble Up is a fond childhood memory for many Americans, the soda is still finding its way into bottles around the world — a rare feat for a regional soda that once seemed destined to fade away.