IBC Root Beer was founded in 1919 by the Griesedieck family as the Independent Breweries Company in St. Louis, Missouri. Root beer found a market as a legal beverage during the era of Prohibition. The Independent Breweries Company closed, but the trademark was purchased by the Kranzberg family who operated the Northwestern Bottling Company. In the late 1930s, it was sold to the National Bottling Company owned by the Shucart family. Popularity and distribution declined after World War II.
In 1976, the IBC trademark was sold to Taylor Beverages, which was then sold to the Seven-Up Company in 1980. After Dr Pepper and Seven Up merged in 1986, distribution of IBC became national throughout the United States. Ultimately Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. was acquired by Cadbury Schweppes in 1995.
IBC was subsequently organized within the Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages unit of Cadbury Schweppes, before being spun off into Dr Pepper Snapple Group in 2008.
Famous quotes containing the words root and/or beer:
“Better extirpate the whole breed, root and branch. And this, unless the German people come to their senses, is what we propose to do.”
—Gertrude Atherton (1857–1948)
“Now your beer belly hangs outlike Fatso.
You are popping your buttons and expelling gas.
How can I lie down with you, my comical beau
when you are so middle-aged and lower-class.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)