7UP doesn’t follow the rules when it comes to corporate ownership. Unlike most major soda brands, this iconic lemon-lime beverage operates under a unique split ownership model in 2025. Keurig Dr Pepper owns and manages 7UP in the United States, while PepsiCo controls the brand across all international markets. This unusual arrangement makes 7UP stand out in the beverage world.
PepsiCo, with its market cap of approximately $230 billion as of late 2023, recently gave 7UP its first makeover in over seven years. Meanwhile, Keurig Dr Pepper, employing around 28,000 people, handles everything related to the green bottle on American soil. The brand has changed hands multiple times throughout its journey, creating a fascinating ownership story that spans almost a century.
What you might not know is that your familiar green soda started life with a completely different identity. When first created, it was called Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda and actually contained lithium citrate—a mood-stabilizing compound now used as medication. During the Great Depression, the drink was marketed for its mood-enhancing properties thanks to this lithium content.
In this article, you’ll learn the surprising history behind 7UP, from its medicinal origins to its current status under two corporate giants. We’ll also look at how both parent companies are working to breathe new life into the brand as it struggles to connect with Gen Z and millennial consumers who don’t share the nostalgic connection older generations have with the “Uncola.”
Who owns 7UP in 2025?
7UP stands as one of the beverage industry’s most unusual ownership stories. If you’re looking for a simple answer to who controls this lemon-lime soda, you won’t find one. The brand operates under a split ownership model that’s rare in the corporate world.
Split ownership: Keurig Dr Pepper and PepsiCo
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) holds the rights to 7UP across the American market. This beverage giant came to life fairly recently, formed in 2018 when Keurig Green Mountain acquired Dr Pepper Snapple Group in a massive $18.70 billion deal. The merger created a powerful competitor that now challenges both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo in various drink categories.
On the international front, PepsiCo controls 7UP beyond American borders. This multinational corporation, headquartered in Purchase, New York, has managed 7UP’s international operations since 1986. Their ownership spans multiple continents, making the green bottle a truly global product despite its divided corporate structure.
This dual ownership creates some interesting situations. The same brand operates under completely different corporate strategies depending on where you are in the world. For instance, in the United Kingdom, you’ll find 7UP distributed by Carlsberg Britvic, which acts as PepsiCo’s designated UK distributor.
Why 7UP has two parent companies
The split ownership traces back to 1986, when the 7UP company was sold to Philip Morris after being privately owned by its founding families. Shortly after, Philip Morris divided the business into two parts: the international division went to PepsiCo, while the US business was sold to an investment group led by Hicks & Haas.
From there, the story gets even more complex. The US division of 7UP merged with Dr Pepper in 1988, forming Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc. This new entity eventually came under Cadbury Schweppes ownership in 1995. Later, in 2008, the Dr Pepper Snapple Group spun off from Cadbury Schweppes, operating independently until its merger with Keurig Green Mountain in 2018.
Throughout these corporate shuffles, PepsiCo has steadily maintained control of 7UP’s international division since their original acquisition in 1986. The dual ownership structure we see today is the result of decades of corporate deals, mergers, and spin-offs.
What company owns 7UP in the U.S. vs globally
In the United States, 7UP operates exclusively under Keurig Dr Pepper. As of 2023, KDP had 1,355,574,275 authorized Stock A shares with one vote per share. The company runs its headquarters from Plano, Texas, managing a diverse drink portfolio including Dr Pepper, Sunkist, and Schweppes across the US and Canada.
Globally, PepsiCo handles 7UP’s distribution and marketing across international markets. This includes operations in Europe, South Korea, Canada, and Oceania. As of November 2023, institutional investors held approximately 74% stake in PepsiCo, with the top 25 shareholders owning 41% of the company.
Each 7UP division operates with separate shareholder structures and independent marketing approaches. Despite being the same product at its core, the divided ownership allows for different regional marketing strategies and distribution networks.
Manufacturing arrangements sometimes differ from ownership rights. In some regions, local bottling partners handle the actual production of 7UP, while the parent companies maintain brand ownership and formula rights.
The Origin Story: How 7UP Was Created
Long before 7UP became the split-ownership brand we know today, it started with one man’s determination to create something different. The story takes us back to St. Louis, Missouri, nearly a century ago.
Charles Leiper Grigg and the Howdy Company
Charles Leiper Grigg wasn’t an overnight success in the soda business. Born in 1868 in Prices Branch, Missouri, he moved to St. Louis to pursue his beverage-making dreams.
His first creation? An orange soda called “Whistle” that he developed while working for Vess Jones’ company. After a falling out with management, Grigg walked away—leaving his orange creation behind.
Not one to give up easily, Grigg joined Warner Jenkinson Company where he developed flavoring agents for soft drinks. While there, he created another orange soda called “Howdy.” This time, when he left, he took his recipe with him.
In 1920, Grigg partnered with financier Edmund G. Ridgway and lawyer Frank Gladney to form the Howdy Company. Despite some success, Howdy struggled against Orange Crush, the dominant orange soda of the time. Seeing this challenge, Grigg made a strategic pivot toward an untapped market: lemon-lime sodas.
The Original Name: Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda
If you think “7UP” is hard to say three times fast, imagine asking for a “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda” at your local soda fountain.
After testing eleven different formulations over two years, Grigg finalized his recipe in 1929. The timing couldn’t have been more challenging—his new drink hit the market just weeks before the Wall Street Crash that triggered the Great Depression.
The name evolution tells its own story:
- 1929: Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda
- 1930-1936: 7UP Lithiated Lemon Soda
- 1936 onward: Simply “7UP”
The term “Bib-Label” referred to the paper label hung around bottle necks like a bib, not actually part of the product name. By 1937, the drink was successful enough that the Howdy Company officially renamed itself the Seven-Up Company.
Why Lithium Was Included in the Formula
Here’s where things get interesting. That “lithiated” in the original name wasn’t just marketing fluff—the drink actually contained lithium citrate.
Today, lithium is known primarily as a medication for bipolar disorder, but in the early 20th century, it was widely used as a mood stabilizer for various mental health conditions including depression. Grigg added lithium during an era when sodas often claimed health benefits, turning what today would be considered a prescription drug into a selling point.
The timing proved perfect—launching at the onset of the Great Depression, 7UP’s mood-enhancing properties became a unique advantage in the marketplace.
Although Grigg never clearly explained why he chose the name “7UP,” theories range from the drink containing seven ingredients to a reference to lithium’s atomic mass of approximately seven. Regardless, the lithium era eventually ended when the FDA banned the substance in beer and soft drinks in 1948. By 1950, 7UP had been reformulated without lithium citrate.
From Bib-Label to 7UP: The evolution of a brand
7UP’s journey from a lithium-infused drink to an iconic lemon-lime soda makes for one of the most fascinating brand transformations in beverage history.
The brand’s evolution shaped it into the household name that’s now curiously split between Keurig Dr Pepper in the U.S. and PepsiCo internationally.
The name change and its significance
The commonly told story about 7UP’s original name might not be entirely accurate. Historical records show that Charles Leiper Grigg filed his first trademark application for “Seven Up” on October 4, 1928, noting it had been in use since August 7, 1928. This challenges the popular narrative about the original lengthy “Bib-Label” name.
Through the early 1930s, the product appeared under various names including “7-Up Lemon Soda” and “7Up Lithiated Lemon Soda”. By 1936, the name was officially shortened to simply “7UP”.
Several theories exist about where the “7UP” name came from:
- The seven ingredients in the original formula
- The atomic mass of lithium (~7)
- The drink’s seven-ounce bottles (compared to Coca-Cola’s six-ounce bottles)
- A reference to the drink’s ability to lift moods (“Up”)
Grigg never cleared up the mystery, only saying that “7Up meant what the new drink tasted like and did for people”.
The rise of the ‘Uncola’ campaign
In 1967, 7UP was struggling financially against cola giants. The company launched what would become one of the most brilliant advertising campaigns ever created. The “Uncola” campaign positioned 7UP as the anti-cola choice, perfectly timed with the rise of the counterculture movement.
The campaign featured striking visuals with upside-down cola glasses and bottles, literally turning “the cola idea upside down”. The results were immediate—within months, 7UP sales jumped dramatically, increasing market share by 30%.
Geoffrey Holder, a Trinidadian dancer and actor, became the campaign’s most recognizable spokesperson. His appearances broke racial barriers as the first Black actor in 7UP commercials. His charismatic delivery and memorable catchphrases helped establish 7UP as the refreshing alternative to traditional colas.
7UP’s place in pop culture
7UP cemented its cultural relevance with several memorable mascots. In 1987, the company turned the red dot from its logo into “Spot,” a character that appeared in advertising, merchandise, and even starred in the 1993 video game “Cool Spot”.
Internationally, the cartoon character Fido Dido represented 7UP from the late 1980s through the early 1990s, later making a comeback in international markets in the early 2000s. This split mascot approach mirrored the brand’s divided ownership structure.
The brand made advertising history with its psychedelic billboard campaign featuring work by famous graphic designers like Milton Glaser (who created the iconic “I ♥ NY” logo). These ads resonated so strongly with younger audiences that many used the posters as room decorations without any company encouragement.
Ownership timeline: Who owned 7UP over the years
The corporate history of 7UP reads like a complex family tree, with branches connecting to some of the biggest names in the beverage industry. From a small St. Louis company to its current split between two global giants, 7UP’s ownership path shows just how tangled beverage industry politics can get.
From Howdy Company to Philip Morris
7UP began its journey under Charles Leiper Grigg’s Howdy Company, which renamed itself the Seven-Up Company in 1936. For nearly six decades, the brand remained a family affair until 1978 when tobacco giant Philip Morris acquired the company for $520 million. This marked 7UP’s first step into corporate America.
Philip Morris quickly discovered that selling soda wasn’t as straightforward as selling cigarettes. The company struggled to boost 7UP’s market share and watched profits shrink. After years of losses, 7UP finally turned an operating profit in 1984, but even this improvement wasn’t enough to keep the tobacco company interested in the soda business.
The Dr Pepper merger and Cadbury Schweppes era
The watershed moment for 7UP’s ownership came in 1986, when Philip Morris decided to split the brand into two pieces. They sold the international operations to PepsiCo for $246 million while offloading the US business to an investment group led by Hicks & Haas for $240 million. This division created the dual ownership structure that still exists today.
Just two years later in 1988, the US 7UP business merged with Dr Pepper, forming Dr Pepper/Seven Up Companies Inc.. Valued at approximately $1.3 billion, this new entity became America’s third-largest soft drink company.
The brand changed hands again in 1995 when British confectionery giant Cadbury Schweppes purchased Dr Pepper/Seven Up for about $1.7 billion plus roughly $870 million in debt. This acquisition made Cadbury Schweppes “the largest soft drink company in the world not to be named after a cola beverage”.
Formation of Keurig Dr Pepper and PepsiCo’s global acquisition
By 2008, Cadbury Schweppes spun off its beverage division as Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Throughout all these corporate reshufflings, PepsiCo held firm to its international 7UP rights acquired back in 1986.
The final major ownership shift happened on July 9, 2018, when Keurig Green Mountain acquired Dr Pepper Snapple Group in an $18.7 billion deal, creating today’s Keurig Dr Pepper. This merger formed “the third-largest non-alcoholic beverage business in the country, with combined 2017 sales of approximately $11 billion”.
Inside the parent companies: KDP and PepsiCo
When you look behind the scenes at 7UP’s parent companies, you’ll find two beverage giants with very different approaches to managing the same brand. Let’s peek inside both Keurig Dr Pepper and PepsiCo to see what makes them tick in 2025.
Who owns Dr Pepper and 7UP today
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) controls 7UP throughout the United States, along with Dr Pepper and dozens of other beverage brands. Meanwhile, PepsiCo continues to own 7UP across all international markets. This unusual arrangement has remained in place since 1986 when PepsiCo first acquired 7UP’s international operations.
KDP itself is relatively new on the scene. The company formed in 2018 when Keurig Green Mountain merged with Dr Pepper Snapple Group, creating a beverage powerhouse that now goes head-to-head with industry leaders Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
Keurig Dr Pepper’s beverage portfolio
KDP’s drink collection is massive, spanning more than 125 owned, licensed, and partner brands across multiple beverage categories.
Their lineup of fizzy drinks includes:
- Dr Pepper, 7UP, Crush, and Sun Drop
- Canada Dry, Sunkist, Squirt, and A&W
- RC Cola, Big Red, and Vernors
As of early 2025, KDP holds about 9.65% of the beverage industry market share, making it the third-largest non-alcoholic beverage company in America. Not bad for a relatively new corporate entity.
PepsiCo’s global strategy and market share
PepsiCo sits in a much stronger position with 47.58% market share as of Q1 2025. The company reaches consumers more than one billion times every day across over 200 countries. Their annual revenue approaches $92 billion, driven by their smart strategy of pairing beverages with convenient foods.
Recent marketing and rebranding efforts
In 2023, PepsiCo gave 7UP its first major makeover in seven years, highlighting the brand’s “uplifting” nature. While keeping the iconic green color, they brightened the tone and added neon green accents.
Not to be outdone, KDP launched 7UP Tropical in February 2025—blending the classic lemon-lime flavor with mango and peach. According to marketing teams at both companies, these efforts specifically target younger consumers through music and sports partnerships, hoping to build relevance with Gen Z and millennials who didn’t grow up with the “Uncola” campaigns that once defined the brand.
Conclusion
7UP’s journey from medicinal mood enhancer to global soda brand tells us something about corporate resilience.
Few beverages can claim such an unusual ownership structure—Keurig Dr Pepper controlling the iconic green bottle in America while PepsiCo manages everything beyond U.S. borders. This arrangement, born from Philip Morris’s strategic division of the brand back in 1986, has somehow survived decades of corporate reshuffling and industry consolidation.
Both parent companies continue working to reinvigorate the brand through redesigns, new flavor launches, and marketing aimed at younger consumers. The challenge is substantial, though. Today’s Gen Z and millennial drinkers don’t have the same connection to the “Uncola” positioning that once helped 7UP stand out from its competitors.
The brand’s evolution mirrors broader beverage industry trends while maintaining its unique position. What began as Charles Leiper Grigg’s lithium-infused concoction marketed for mood enhancement has transformed into a mainstream soda competing against giants like Sprite and Sierra Mist.
Though 7UP doesn’t command the market share it once did during its “Uncola” heyday, it remains an important player in both corporate portfolios. Its split ownership serves as a reminder that sometimes the most unusual business arrangements can endure against all odds, functioning effectively long after conventional wisdom would suggest otherwise.
FAQs
Q1. Who currently owns the 7UP brand?
7UP is owned by two different companies. In the United States, Keurig Dr Pepper owns and manages the brand, while PepsiCo controls 7UP internationally.
Q2. Has 7UP undergone any recent rebranding efforts?
Yes, in 2023, PepsiCo unveiled 7UP’s first major rebrand in seven years. The redesign retained the iconic green color but introduced a brighter tone paired with neon green, focusing on the brand’s “uplifting” nature.
Q3. What was 7UP originally called when it was first created?
When 7UP was first introduced in 1929, it was called “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda.” The name was later shortened to “7UP” in 1936.
Q4. Did 7UP really contain lithium when it was first created?
Yes, the original 7UP formula contained lithium citrate, which was marketed for its mood-enhancing properties. However, lithium was removed from the formula in 1950 after the FDA banned its use in soft drinks in 1948.
Q5. What is Keurig Dr Pepper’s market position in the beverage industry?
As of Q1 2025, Keurig Dr Pepper holds approximately 9.65% market share in the beverage industry, positioning it as the third-largest non-alcoholic beverage company behind PepsiCo and Coca-Cola.