Editing Faygo (section)

==History==
[[File:Faygo logo.png|150px|thumb|left|The original logo used circa 1940]]
Faygo was founded in Detroit, Michigan, in November 1907,<ref name="idch">{{cite book |title=International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 36. |date=2001 |publisher=St. James Press |via=Funding Universe |chapter-url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/faygo-beverages-inc-history/ |access-date=November 20, 2019 |chapter=History of Faygo Beverages Inc. |archive-date=November 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106035156/http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/faygo-beverages-inc-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> as '''Feigenson Brothers Bottle Works''' by Russian baker immigrants Ben and Perry Feigenson.<ref name="Smith">{{cite news |first=Joel J. |last=Smith |title=Faygo celebrates 100th birthday |url=http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070302/BIZ/703020359/1011/BIZ02 |website=[[The Detroit News]] |date=March 2, 2007 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130121105107/http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070302/BIZ/703020359/1011/BIZ02 |archivedate=January 21, 2013 |access-date=2008-10-30 }}</ref> The original flavors of Faygo (fruit punch, strawberry, and grape) were based on cake [[Icing (food)|frosting]] recipes used by the Feigensons in Russia.<ref name="Smith"/> Initially, the brothers used a horse-drawn wagon for deliveries and lived above the bottling plant.<ref name="idch"/>

As the business grew over the next 10 years, the Feigensons were able to purchase houses, hire their first employee, and acquire a second wagon and horse for deliveries. More flavors were added to the lineup, including [[Sarsaparilla (soft drink)|Sassafras Soda]] and Lithiated Lemon. The brothers' success also allowed them to build a new plant on Detroit's Beaubien Street.<ref name="idch"/>

In 1921, as the company expanded, they decided the brand name "Feigenson Brothers" was too long and changed it to Faygo.<ref name="idch"/><ref>{{cite news |last = Anders |first = Melissa |title = What's in a name? Here are the stories behind Biggby, Zingerman's, Founders, Faygo, Domino's |url = https://www.mlive.com/business/2013/04/whats_in_a_name_here_are_the_s.html#incart_more_business |access-date = April 28, 2013 |work = [[The Flint Journal]] |date = April 28, 2013 |archive-date = November 11, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211111000152/https://www.mlive.com/business/2013/04/whats_in_a_name_here_are_the_s.html#incart_more_business |url-status = live }}</ref> The brothers bought their first delivery truck in 1922, and started home deliveries the following year.<ref name="Grim">Grimm, Joe, ''The Faygo Book'' (Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press, 2018), 6-11.</ref> New flavors in the 1920s were a vanilla flavored soft drink, a seltzer water, "Ace Hi" (similar in flavor to [[Nehi]]), and Rock and Rye (named after a [[Rock and Rye|Prohibition Era drink]]).<ref name="Rouch2003">{{cite book|first=Lawrence L. | last=Rouch|title=The Vernor's Story: From Gnomes to Now|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-yv2HI_5ZhcC&pg=PA34|year=2003|publisher=University of Michigan Press|isbn=0-472-06697-8|pages=34–}}</ref><ref name="idch"/> The company opened its currently operating bottling plant in 1935 on Gratiot Avenue in Detroit.<ref name="Rouch2003"/> The company briefly entered into beer production.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zadikian |first1=John |url=https://www.pressandguide.com/2019/10/11/faygo-detroit-beverage-maker-remembered-in-storied-history/ |title=Faygo, Detroit beverage maker, remembered in storied history |access-date=November 21, 2019 |work=Press and Guide |date=Oct 11, 2019 |archive-date=July 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705220735/https://www.pressandguide.com/2019/10/11/faygo-detroit-beverage-maker-remembered-in-storied-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The brothers ran the company until the mid-1940s, when they turned it over to their sons.<ref name="Smith"/> In 1956, the company created a series of [[radio]] and [[television]] advertisements featuring a fictional cowboy called the Faygo Kid, who was portrayed in animation for television commercials for Faygo Old-Fashioned Root Beer.<ref name="Smith" /> [[Jim Henson]]'s [[Muppets, Inc.]] produced a small series of ads for Faygo strawberry soda starring the Muppet characters [[Wilkins and Wontkins]] (best known as the spokes-characters for the Washington, D.C.–based Wilkins Coffee). Three ads are known to exist.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

Because the drink had a limited shelf life, the company sold its products only in Michigan until the late 1950s. Company chemists later resolved this issue by installing a filtration system to remove impurities from the manufacturing plant's water system.<ref name="Smith"/> In the 1960s, the soda's regional popularity expanded when the company began advertising during broadcasts of [[Detroit Tigers]] games.<ref name="Smith"/> With the Tiger ads reaching beyond the Faygo market area at the time and the inability to cancel the ads, Faygo shipped products to the wholesalers' warehouses. This increased company sales from $6 million in 1966 to $20.4 million in 1971.<ref name="idch" /> Advertisements produced in the 1970s featured "everyday people" on a [[Boblo Island Amusement Park|Boblo Boat]] singing the "Faygo Boat Song".<ref name="Smith"/>

The company introduced a low-calorie version of their products in the 1960s called Ohana.<ref name="Grim"/> This sub-line soon became a majority of company sales. In 1961, the Royal Line was launched as a premium product line. The juice extract used to produce the initial run of Royal Hawaiian Pineapple Orange was not sterilized and became rancid, causing a buildup of gases such that, after hitting store shelves, the bottles exploded. The soda was recalled and Dole gave Faygo enough sterilized juice to offset the company's losses. Six other flavors also entered into production in the 1960s.<ref name="idch" /> The original strawberry flavor from 1907<ref name="Smith"/> was renamed [[Redpop]] in the late 1960s.<ref name="idch"/><ref name="vmng">{{cite news |last1=Bloch |first1=Jim |title=Pop history: Detroit export Faygo turns 107 |url=http://www.voicenews.com/life/pop-history-detroit-export-faygo-turns/article_0b80c4cc-5183-11e9-b7f2-0bbb2f6b8c67.html |access-date=November 21, 2019 |work=The Voice |publisher=MediaNews Group |date=March 28, 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806063830/http://www.voicenews.com/life/pop-history-detroit-export-faygo-turns/article_0b80c4cc-5183-11e9-b7f2-0bbb2f6b8c67.html|archivedate=August 6, 2020}}</ref>

With Michigan's beverage container deposit law passed in 1978, Faygo thought people would prefer returnable cans instead of glass. With this choice being incorrect, the company had a hard time making the switch back to bottles, cutting into profits for several years.<ref name="idch" />

Assessing the industry and the second generation's pending retirement, the company was put up for sale.<ref name="idch" />  TreeSweet Products Corp. bought the company from the Feigenson family in early 1986 for $105 million.<ref name="FP">{{cite news |title = TREESWEET BUYS SOFT-DRINK FIRM |url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-02-19-8601130436-story.html |newspaper = [[Chicago Tribune]] |first1 = George |last1 = Lazarus |date = February 19, 1986 |access-date = November 5, 2019 |archive-date = November 6, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191106125850/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-02-19-8601130436-story.html |url-status = live }}</ref> TreeSweet in turn sold the company to National Beverage Corp. a year later in 1987.<ref name="AP">{{cite news |title = Faygo Sold to National Beverage Corp. |url = https://apnews.com/37c864f8ca0e9f8866afba768771880b |newspaper = [[Associated Press]] |first1 = Tim |last1 = Bovee |date = February 19, 1986 |access-date = November 5, 2019 |archive-date = November 6, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191106035156/https://apnews.com/37c864f8ca0e9f8866afba768771880b |url-status = live }}</ref>  In the 1980s, they introduced flavored carbonated water.<ref name="Grim"/>

Faygo expanded in 1996 with a non-carbonated drink line, again named Ohana, which included punches, iced tea and lemonade.<ref name="idch" /> In 2007, Faygo celebrated its 100th anniversary with a new flavor and contests for label design. Ten thousand entries were received and a fourth-grade Ohio teacher won with Centennial Soda.<ref name="Smith"/> In March 2014, the company introduced its ginger ale, Faygo Gold, rivaling cross town company [[Vernors]]' flagship drink.<ref name=mdet>{{cite news |last1=Lacy |first1=Eric |title=Detroit's Faygo unveils new 'Gold' flavor; it appears to rival another popular brand with city ties |url=https://www.mlive.com/business/detroit/2013/03/detroits_faygo_unveils_new_gol.html |access-date=21 November 2019 |work=MLive |publisher=MLive Media Group |date=March 14, 2013 |language=en |archive-date=July 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731100904/https://www.mlive.com/business/detroit/2013/03/detroits_faygo_unveils_new_gol.html |url-status=live }}</ref>