1937 Perfection Barber and Beauty Supply in Waco begins making flavoring extracts under the name Sun Tang. Inventors Grover Thomsen and R.H. Roark develop a unique red drink, Sun Tang Red Cream Soda. They change the company name to Perfection Co. Ltd. to be more in line with a flavoring extract business.
1939 Trademark is registered for Sun Tang Red Cream Soda.
1943 Company is incorporated under the name Perfection Co., Inc., with principals G.C. Thornsen as President; R.H. Roark as Vice President and M.L. Saunders as Secretary and Treasurer.
1959 Sun Tang Red Cream Soda becomes Sun Tang Big Red
1969 Trademark is registered for Big Red.
1972 Company moves headquarters to 720 Jewel Drive from downtown Waco.
1973 Corporation name changes to Big Red, Inc.
1976 President M.L. Saunders dies. Donald S. Sharp comes in as Executive Vice President
1977 Franchise added in Vincennes, Indiana.
1982 Franchise added in Austin and Abilene, TX, Clovis, NM and Lima, OH.
1984 Franchise added in Ellisville, MS; El Paso, TX, Lawton, OK, Longview, TX, Monroe, LA, Rockford IL and Sheffield, AL.
1984 Franchise added in Amarillo, TX, Dallas, TX, Jasper, IN, Terre Haute, IN, and Tucson, AR.
1985 Sweetener in Diet Big Red changes from saccharin to NutraSweet.
1986 Franchises added in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, LA, Oklahoma City, OK, Huron, SD, Nashville, TN, and Harlingen, Lubbock, and Houston, TX.
1986 Franchises added in Miami, FL, Napa CA, Cincinnatti, OH, and Tylertown, MS.
1987 Agreement is signed with International Division of Dr. Pepper to market Big Red internationally.
1988 Big Red becomes available in long neck bottles.
1997 Big Red introduces Splash Logo
1998 Franchises added in Southern California, Las Vegas, NV, and Albuquerque, NM.
1999 Big Red acquires the Nesbitt's brands and NuGrape from the Monarch Co. in Atlanta and adds franchises across all Midwest with DBSUBG.
2002 Don Sharp inducted into Beverage World magazine's soft Drink Hall of Fame.
2004 Big Red float debuts at the Kentucky Derby.
2005 Big Red ranks as sixth-largest carbonated drink company in the country.
2005 RED jAK Energy drink comes out.
2006 Big Red brings out Sugar Free Big Red Float.
2007 Gary Smith purchases Big Red Domestic and International business in August
2007 Company purchases All Sport Isotonic from Monarch beverages in September
2008 All Sport rolls out new Hot Fill product to total US in June
2008 New Diet Big Red "Bubbles graphics"
2008 New 20oz. Vintage bottle introduced in July |
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