In 1783, in Geneva, Switzerland, Jean Jacob Schweppes independently developed a process of adding carbonation into mineral water and Schweppes was born.
He started a factory in Geneva and opened a branch in London in 1793, where his soda water was approved for medicinal use the Royal family.
He sold his company in 1799, but his name still prevalent today as the Schweppes Company.
Schweppes, originally over decades very strong in Belgium and France might have originated from cultural need of more Latin and southern countries for cold refreshing drinks as a substitute for heat.
In 1969 Cadbury and Schweppes agreed to merge. Each company was strong in its market, Schweppes was well regarded for its carbonated soft drinks and mixers while Cadbury was mainly known for its chocolate products.
Hence, the merger in 1969 was of giants on the carbonated soft drink (CSD) and confectionary (Cadbury) market reflecting their primary lines of business.
Cadbury Schweppes has been courting the American soft drinks company Dr Pepper/7Up, since 1986. The knot was finally tied in January 1995 when Cadbury Schweppes agreed to pay $1.7 billion in cash to acquire the 78% of the equity it did not already own.
Outside of the carbonated soft drinks market Cadbury Schweppes acquired Snapple beverages in 2000.
As the result of these acquisitions, Cadbury Schweppes became the third largest soft drinks company in the world.
In 2004, Cadbury Schweppes had a combined 14.4 percent share of the carbonated soft drinks market in the United States. In 2008 the two companies split, each becoming a separate corporation.
The company’s beverages remained with Schweppes while the chocolate and candy remained with Cadbury.
History of Schweppes