Why We Sell Empire Soda

Jan 25, 2012 by admin    No Comments    Posted under: Al's Blog

Why we Sell Empire Soda

5 Reasons Gioia’s Deli Loves Empire Soda

Taste

Empire Soda taste really good! When I have a sweet tooth, I don’t grab gelato or a brownie, I grab an Empire Cream Soda. It has the perfect sweetness to   smooth creaminess. Drinking Empire soda is a treat!

The Bottle

A stout clear glass bottle and a plain white label; the simplicity of the bottle makes the soda stand out in our beverage case. The gold cap on each bottle looks like a crown and adds to the product’s nostalgia.

Marketing

Empire Soda does not have a website, twitter account or facebook page. Instead, each bottle has a phone number on the label. When you call the number, it goes directly to the shop where the Soda is made in Bristol, Rhode Island. If you are lucky, 1 of the 4 employees answers the phone to take your order.

History

I was lucky enough to speak with the owner about the history of Empire Bottling Works, which was founded in Bristol, Rhode Island by Edward Borges in 1930. Empire Bottling Works got it’s name when Edward saw the Empire State Building for the fist time and thought it was the most impressive thing he had ever seen.

Now, Edward Borges III owns and operates the 82 year old company. According to Ed, soda is his life and has been since he was born. He is the creator of the Diet Sodas and Ed’s Black Cherry.

Hopefully, Ed’s two sons will carry on the Soda tradition.

How it gets to St. Louis

“If you want my Soda, come up to Bristol and get it, responded Ed when asked how his soda made it all the way to St. Louis. That is exactly what our distributer, Best Beverage, does. They drive a freight to Bristol, load up the Soda, and bring it all the way back to St. Louis. Best Beverage is the only company in St. Louis, maybe the Midwest, that distributes Empire Soda.

Got anything to say? Go ahead and leave a comment!