
A pharmacist from New Bern, North Carolina named Caleb Bradham set out on a remarkable journey that would fundamentally alter the beverage industry. Bradham created Brad’s Drink, a carbonated beverage, in the late 19th century, and it quickly became well-liked by locals. He renamed his invention Pepsi-Cola after realizing its potential, creating the basis for one of the most recognizable and adored soft drink brands in history. This article delves into the fascinating tale of how Brad’s Drink became Pepsi-Cola, examining Caleb Bradham’s early years, the formula for success, the difficulties encountered, and the lasting legacy of this creative beverage.
The origins of Brad’s Drink and the birth of Pepsi-Cola
The frothy delights of carbonated drinks, these drinks have become a beloved part of our lives, from sipping on a cool soda on a hot summer day to enjoying the delightful fizz tickling our taste buds. But have you ever questioned how it all started?
Let’s take a trip back in time to the beginning of carbonated beverages. Scientists started experimenting with carbonation in the late 18th century, adding bubbles to water to produce what is now known as soda water. It didn’t take long for people to realize that this fizzy mixture offered a unique sensory experience in addition to quenching their thirst.

When we travel back in time to the nineteenth century, we are in the era of soda fountains. These mysterious locations resembled the beverage industry’s version of the Willy Wonka factory. To indulge in sweet, fizzy drinks that were mixed and poured in front of their eyes, people flocked to soda fountains. These places quickly developed into gathering places for friends to catch up over their favorite drinks and the newest rumors.
Now that the scene has been set, let’s explore how Brad’s Drink evolved into the recognizable Pepsi-Cola we know today.

The early life of Caleb Bradham: From pharmacist to entrepreneur
Every great story needs a main character, and Caleb Bradham is that hero in the Pepsi saga. Caleb chose a career in pharmacy because he was born with an inquisitive mind and a passion for all things scientific. He put a lot of effort into his studies, became well-versed in pharmaceutical compounds, and eventually earned his pharmacy license.
But Caleb’s goals went beyond making concoctions and taking prescriptions. He experimented with various flavors and mixtures until he hit upon a particularly delectable mixture that would forever alter his life. Caleb came up with a refreshing mixture of carbonated water, sugar, vanilla, kola nuts, and just a hint of secret ingredients, drawing inspiration from the rising popularity of soda fountains and his own passion for developing new and exciting drinks.
Thus, Brad’s Drink was created. In the beginning, Caleb served it to his devoted clients at his pharmacy in New Bern, North Carolina, where it quickly became well-known as a cool and energizing beverage. But nobody realized how important this simple mixture was until it was too late.

The secret formula and its popularity
Making the ideal soda is a difficult task. Numerous hours of trial-and-error, taste-testing, and the occasional inspiration are required. Caleb Bradham enthusiastically accepted this challenge and worked tirelessly to perfect his recipe’s flavor and fizz ratio.
In his pursuit of the ideal soda, Caleb used his pharmacy expertise to tweak everything from the sugar content to the kola nut mixture.
The news of Caleb’s delectable creation quickly spread. Customers flocked to his pharmacy for their routine prescriptions as well as to try a sample of Brad’s Drink. Due to its distinctive flavor and refreshing qualities, it quickly became popular among the locals, and Caleb’s pharmacy quickly came to be associated with the famous beverage.
As the demand increased, Caleb understood that Brad’s Drink could potentially appeal to a much larger audience. It was time to advance his bubbly mixture into the major leagues.
The rebranding of Brad’s Drink: The birth of Pepsi-Cola
While Brad’s Drink was well-liked by its expanding fan base, Caleb Bradham understood that he needed a name that would accurately describe his creation if he wanted to make a real splash in the beverage industry. So, after much thought, he made the bold decision to change the name of his beverage to Pepsi-Cola.
You might wonder why Pepsi-Cola. Caleb wanted to give his drink a name that reflected how energizing and refreshing it was. And what better way to express that than by using the word “Pepsi,” which is derived from the digestive enzyme pepsin, which is known for its capacity to facilitate digestion? A clever fusion of science and marketing gave rise to one of the most well-known brands in the world very quickly.
Brad’s Drink changed into the fizzy sensation we now know as Pepsi-Cola thanks to a new name and unwavering determination.
Therefore, keep in mind the humble beginnings of Brad’s Drink and the journey it took to become the beloved beverage that has quenched our thirst for more than a century the next time you reach for that can of Pepsi. Cheers to Caleb Bradham, the innovative pharmacist and businessman who gave us Pepsi-Cola!
The growth of Pepsi-Cola: From local success to national recognition
Pepsi-Cola’s strategic expansion of distribution channels helped the company go from a regional sensation to a well-known brand nationwide. Caleb Bradham realized he needed to reach a larger audience as the demand for the cool cola soared. In order to ensure that the thirst-quenching beverage could be enjoyed by more and more people outside of his pharmacy, he started by distributing Pepsi in nearby towns and cities.
Pepsi-Cola was created in the modest pharmacy of Caleb Bradham, but its goals were much greater. With unwavering resolve, Bradham expanded the use of his invention beyond the confines of his pharmacy and set out to dominate the soda market. Pepsi-Cola began entering supermarkets, eateries, and soda machines across the country through shrewd partnerships and a focus on quality. Before long, Bradham’s dream became a reality as Pepsi-Cola became a household name.

Man's Blood Helped Save Millions of Babies
Australian blood donor James Harrison has been one of our most impressive and valued donors, having donated for 60 years. Know his story, how he was a pioneer of our Anti-D program, and why this matters.

Paramedic Rescues Doctor Who Saved Him 30 Years Earlier
In 1981, a doctor helped save the life of a 3.2 pounds premature baby boy. Thirty years later, the boy, who had grown up to be a firefighter-paramedic, helped in saving the same doctor from a car accident.

A three-year-old boy discovers a $4 million pendant in England
A $4 million 16th-century gold pendant was discovered in 2010 by a three-year-old boy using his father's metal detector.

Longest burning light bulb, The centennial light bulb in livermore, California
The world's longest lasting light bulb holds the Guinness World Record, and has been illuminating local fire stations in Livermore, California since 1901, the year Queen Victoria died.

Missing Masterpiece Discovered in the Background of ‘Stuart Little’
In 2009, Gergely Barki, an art historian, was watching the film Stuart Little (1999) when he spotted an original long-lost painting used as a prop. Called Sleeping Lady with Black Vase, this painting was the work of Hungarian avant-garde painter Róbert Berény. The painting had been considered lost after World War II.

Kipekee, the world's only spotless giraffe, was born at Brights Zoo
The world's only spotless giraffe was born at a zoo in the United States. The giraffe born without spots on July 31 is the only one of her kind on Earth.

The Man Who Kept a “Gold” Rock for Years—Only to Discover It Was a 4.6-Billion-Year-Old Meteorite Worth a Fortune
A man cherished a heavy 17-kilogram rock for years, believing it to be solid gold. The surprising twist? Experts later revealed it was a rare, 4.6-billion-year-old iron meteorite—an ancient cosmic relic worth far more than gold. Dive into the fascinating story of this celestial treasure and what makes it so valuable.

The Terrifying Mount St. Helens Eruption is Captured by the Robert Landsburg Photographs
Robert Landsburg, a photographer who upon realisation that he is going to die in the mount St. Helens eruption of 1980 lay down on top if his equipment to preserve the photographs he had taken of the events. Landsburg‘s body was found 17 days later, buried in ash with his film intact.

New York installs first offshore wind turbine to power 70,000 homes
New York State has achieved a historic milestone in its clean energy transition by installing the first wind turbine at its first offshore wind farm, South Fork Win.

Billy Ray Harris: A Story of Kindness and Honesty
In 2013, a homeless man named Billy Ray Harris discovered a $4,000 engagement ring in this cup. A woman had dropped while giving him some change. He returned the ring to her two days later. To thank him for his honesty, she set up a fund with the goal of raising $4,000 for him. It earned more than $185,000.

Whang-od Oggay, The legendary tattoo artist from the Philippines
This is Whang-od Oggay, a 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines. She is often described as the last and oldest Kalinga tattoo artist, and has been performing the traditional art of hand-tapped tattoos since the age of 15

The fearless Annie Lee Cooper
Annie Lee Cooper was fired in 1963 after attempting to register to vote. She attempted it once more in 1965, but the sheriff ordered her to leave after prodding her in the neck with a club. She then punched him, causing him to fall to the ground. She was imprisoned before ultimately registering to vote. Following the passage of the Voting Rights Act, the sheriff was ousted and subsequently imprisoned for collaborating to transport drugs, but Annie Lee Cooper lived to reach 100 years old and bears her name to this day.

Hyperinflation of the Zimbabwe dollar turning phasing out their local money in 2015
Hyperinflation of the Zimbabwe dollar made it one of the lowest valued currencies in the world. So the country abandoned it in 2009, and switched to using foreign money. In 2015, to complete the process of phasing out their local money, the government offered to exchange it at a rate of one US dollar for 35 quadrillion Zimbabwean dollars.

Woman had no idea she had an identical twin until she saw a 'lookalike' on YouTube
When Anais Bordier saw a YouTube video of Samantha Futerman, who looked exactly like her, she messaged her on Facebook and discovered they were both adopted and born on the same day. They were identical twins who had been separated at birth and had found each other by chance and on social media.

The beauty and uniqueness of Fukang Meteorite
This Fukang meteorite is around 4.5 billion years old and weighs more than 2,000 pounds. It was discovered in China in 2014 and is assumed to have formed when our solar system initially formed.

Before Hollywood, Christopher Walken Was a Teenage Lion Tamer with a Lioness Named Sheba
Before acting, Christopher Walken worked as a lion tamer in a circus at age 16. He performed with a lioness named Sheba and described the job as surprisingly calm—just another day before Hollywood stardom.

Photos: This man sold everything 45 years ago to buy a bike and travel 6,000 miles from India to Sweden to see his love.
An Indian man traveled from India to Sweden on a bicycle to meet his Swedish wife in 1978. The journey took him 4 months and through eight countries.

Aitzaz Hasan, Pakistani school boy who sacrificed his life from suicide bomber
Aitzaz Hasan, a 15 year old Pakistani school boy, sacrificed his life while preventing a suicide bomber from entering his school of 2000 students. His father said "My son made his mother cry but saved hundreds of mothers from crying for their children."

chand baori stepwell in Rajasthan India, Ancient cooling technique
This Chand Baori stepwell in Rajasthan, India is over 1200 years old. It’s called Chand Baori. The air at the bottom of the well is 5-6 degrees cooler than at the surface, so in addition to being a water source, it was used as a community gathering place where locals could escape the heat.

A man joins a search operation without realizing he is the missing person
Beyhan Mutlu, a Turkish national, was reported missing by local media and unintentionally joined search teams looking for himself in a forest. He was drunk and lost in the woods when he ended up in a group with others looking for himself.

A man who has been suffering from headaches for nearly six months discovers chopsticks lodged in his brain
When it was discovered that a Vietnamese man with headaches and vision problems had chopsticks lodged in his brain, the doctors were almost as surprised as the man himself.

The accidentally discovery of Riace bronzes
Stefano Mariottini was snorkeling off the coast of Monasterace near Riace in 1972 when he noticed a human hand sticking out of the sand and called the police, thinking it was a corpse. It was actually two statues of "Warriors from Riace" - 5th century BC Greek bronze statues.

China Weather Control on 2008 Olympics with missile
One thing is certain: when it comes to ensuring nice weather for the world's largest party, the Chinese cannot be accused of being subtle. The Chinese government authorized the use of 1,104 cloud seeding missile launches from 4:00-11:39 p.m. on Friday night to reduce the possibility of rain ahead of the 29th Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing

A woman who had been lost since she was a newborn 51 years ago was said to have been spotted
A woman who had been lost since she was a newborn for 51 years was reported to have been sighted.

Mystery of 300-year-old mummified mermaid is being probed
There is a 300-year-old mummified mermaid with 30 centimetres tall and features a human-like head, two hands with what appear to be fingernails, and its lower body that look like a fish tail. The “mermaid mummy” is being probed by Japanese scientists in an attempt to unravel the mystery of its existence.