Have you ever wondered about the flavor origins of the iconic pop Dr Pepper? You can trace Fanta’s electric flavor to citrus, Rootbeer’s flavor to sassafras, and Sprite to an iconic lemon-lime combination. But Dr Pepper is a bit more complex. 

Dr Pepper was invented in Waco, Texas, in 1880s by a young pharmacist named Charles Alderton. The drink came into existence after Alderton mixed over 20 fruit-flavored syrups together. Eventually, Alderton found one he liked, and the famous soft drink was born. After Alderton worked at further developing the new flavor, he was ready to expand his outreach. In 1881, he formed a new firm, Artesian Mfg—& Bottling Company, which eventually became  known as the Dr Pepper Company, and the soft drink was first marketed in 1885.

Although trends come and go, Dr Pepper is here to stay. According to CNN Business, Dr  Pepper has grown its dollar share by 9% from 2003 to 2021, compared to the carbonated soft drink category, which has declined 26% overall. 

ROHS teacher Sean  Morgan enjoys drinking Dr  Pepper to liven up his day and uses the caffeinated beverage as an alternative to coffee. 

“I’ve been drinking Dr Pepper since I was allowed to drink pop as a kid,” he said.

Others like Morgan share the same enthusiasm for Dr  Pepper. ROHS senior Maron Sherry prefers Dr  Pepper to other mainstream 

soft drinks.

    “ I find Dr Pepper to be different than other soft drinks, and I feel like it has a stronger taste. Although I find its flavor variations interesting, I will always like the original Dr Pepper flavor best,” she said.