Type Soft drink Introduced 1938 | Country of origin United States Flavor Citrus | |
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Manufacturer Dr Pepper Snapple Group | ||
Squirt is a caffeine-free, citrus-flavored, carbonated soft drink, created in 1938 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Contents
History
Squirt (originally named Citrus Club) was created by Herb Bishop in 1938, after experimenting in college. The result required less fruit juice and less sugar, which Bishop declared had the "freshest, most exciting taste in the marketplace".
In 1941, a mascot named "Lil' Squirt" was created in an effort to broaden public awareness. Squirt became a popular soft drink in many parts of the country, especially the West and Southwest. In the 1950s, it became accepted as a mixer used in cocktails.
The Squirt brand has changed ownership several times and is currently the property of Dr Pepper Snapple Group.
Product line
Squirt is naturally flavored but contains less than 1% grapefruit juice. Like many other soft drinks, the packaging of Squirt has varied over the years.
In 1983, Diet Squirt, the first soft drink in the United States to be sweetened with aspartame, was introduced.
In the mid 1980s, a vitamin-C-enriched Diet Squirt Plus was briefly marketed.
In the early 1990s, Squirt Sorbet, a frozen treat, was offered in Detroit area supermarkets.
Ruby Red Squirt and Diet Ruby Red Squirt have also been introduced. Unlike normal Squirt, Ruby Red Squirt contains caffeine.
In 2008, a new offering called Squirt Citrus Power was introduced. Unlike regular Squirt, Squirt Citrus Power is caffeinated, lacks concentrated grapefruit juice, and contains taurine and other ingredients similar to an energy drink.
Ingredients
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, concentrated grapefruit juices, citric acid, modified food starch, sodium benzoate (preservative), natural flavors, glycerol ester of wood rosin, brominated vegetable oil.