Editing RC Cola (section)

==History==
In 1901, the Cole-Hampton-Hatcher Grocery Store was established in [[Columbus, Georgia]]. In 1903, the Hatcher family took sole ownership and the name was changed to the Hatcher Grocery Store. The grocery store was located at what was 22 West 10th Street. Today's address (after house number changes) is 15 West 10th Street.<ref>{{Cite web |title=RC Cola – Soda Pop Bros Soda |url=https://www.sodapopbros.com/products/rc-cola-1 |access-date=2023-11-26 |website=Soda Pop Bros}}</ref> At the same time, the popularity of bottled soft drinks rose rapidly, and grocery store owners wished to maximize their profit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee/photos/hatcher13430gph.txt |first=Bill |last=Winn |title=R.C. Cola Gets Start in Basement |work=Columbus Ledger-Enquirer |date=May 7, 1978 |access-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-date=November 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109221030/http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee/photos/hatcher13430gph.txt |url-status=live }}</ref> As a grocery wholesaler, Claud A. Hatcher purchased a large volume of Coca-Cola syrup from the local company salesman, Columbus Roberts. Hatcher felt that the company deserved a special reduced price for the syrup since it purchased such large volumes. Roberts would not budge on the cost, and a bitter conflict between the two erupted. Hatcher told Roberts he would win the battle by never purchasing any more Coca-Cola, and was determined to develop his own soft drink formula. He started developing products in the basement of the store with a recipe for ginger ale.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/royal-crown-company-inc-history/ |title=History of Royal Crown Company, Inc. |website=FundingUniverse.com |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141113024355/http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/royal-crown-company-inc-history/ |archive-date=November 13, 2014}}</ref>

[[File:Claud A. Hatcher.jpg|thumb|upright| [[Claud A. Hatcher]], the inventor of Royal Crown Cola]]
[[File:A Greyhound Bus Station - DPLA - 7a252836d70e7ccf037e379f318ceb17 (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|RC Cola Advertisement, 1943]]
Hatcher launched the Union Bottling Works in his family's grocery store.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Allen |first1=Gary J. |last2=Albala |first2=Ken |title=The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food and Drink Industries |year=2007 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9780313337253 |page=432 |via=Google Books |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gNzmOUyiFRAC&q=1905+Claud+A.+Hatcher,+a+pharmacist,+launched+the+Union+Bottling+Works+in+the+basement+of+his+family%27s+grocery+store&pg=PA342 |access-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423111519/https://books.google.com/books?id=gNzmOUyiFRAC&q=1905+Claud+A.+Hatcher,+a+pharmacist,+launched+the+Union+Bottling+Works+in+the+basement+of+his+family%27s+grocery+store&pg=PA342 |url-status=live }}</ref> The first product in the Royal Crown line was Royal Crown Ginger Ale in 1905,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.rccolainternational.com/about_royal_crown_history.aspx |website= rccolainternational.com |title= Royal Crown Company History |publisher= Royal Crown Cola International |access-date= November 6, 2017 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130624130905/http://www.rccolainternational.com/about_royal_crown_history.aspx |archive-date=June 24, 2013}}</ref> followed by Royal Crown Strawberry, and Royal Crown Root Beer. In 1907, cherry-flavored Chero-Cola<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.rccolainternational.com/about/ |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=RC Cola International |language=en-US |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405054503/https://www.rccolainternational.com/about/ |url-status=live }}</ref> was introduced. The company was later renamed Chero-Cola in 1910. In 1924, its new fruit-flavored beverage, [[Nehi]] was introduced. This led to the company's renaming in 1925 to Nehi, Inc. Following its founder, Claud A. Hatcher's death in 1933, and Chero-Cola being reformulated in 1934 by chemist Rufus Kamm, the company reintroduced the "Royal Crown" to launch Royal Crown Cola. The company itself went on to change its name from Nehi, Inc. to Royal Crown Cola Company in 1951.

In the 1950s, Royal Crown Cola and [[Moon Pie]]s were a popular "working man's lunch" in the American South.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nashville.about.com/cs/historynsites/a/rcnmoonpie.htm |title=The Souths Fascination with RC Colas and Moonpies |first=Jan |last=Duke |website=About.com |access-date=January 12, 2008 |archive-date=December 16, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216222638/http://nashville.about.com/cs/historynsites/a/rcnmoonpie.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1954, Royal Crown was the first company to sell soft drinks in a can, and later the first company to sell soft drinks in an aluminum can.<ref name="georgiaencyclopedia">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Royal Crown Cola Company |encyclopedia=New Georgia Encyclopedia |url=http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3535 |access-date=October 21, 2012 |date=September 15, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012073022/http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3535 |archive-date=October 12, 2012 |url-status=dead}} It is now Filipino after being sold in 2022</ref> In 1962, the company introduced the first diet cola, [[Diet Rite]].

During the 1970s, Royal Crown Cola Company developed their international presence, including countries in Asia and Europe.

In 1976, the Raffel family sold [[Arby's]] to the Royal Crown Cola Company for $18&nbsp;million.<ref name="ppg-1976jul27">{{cite news |date=July 27, 1976 |title=Royal Crown To Buy Arby's |page=23 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19760727&id=jQMOAAAAIBAJ&pg=3282,2676869&hl=en |via=Google News |access-date=June 25, 2022 |archive-date=November 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113200633/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19760727&id=jQMOAAAAIBAJ&pg=3282,2676869&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Caffeine]]- and sugar-free cola RC 100 was launched in 1980.

In 1984, Cherry RC, Diet RC and Diet Rite flavors were introduced. That year, RC Cola accounted for approximately 4–5% of soft drink sales in the United States, behind Coke, Pepsi, [[Dr. Pepper]], and [[7 Up]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Innovative Royal Crown |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/14/business/the-innovative-royal-crown.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 14, 1984 |access-date=December 18, 2018 |archive-date=December 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219001138/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/14/business/the-innovative-royal-crown.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 

In 1995, Royal Crown Draft Cola was released as the first premium draft cola. It was made with pure [[cane sugar]] as a sweetener (instead of [[high fructose corn syrup]]), the finest kola nuts, all-natural flavors and pure filtered water. Offered only in 12-ounce bottles, it was discontinued, due largely to the inability of the RC bottling network to get distribution for the product in single-drink channels, and it was discontinued with the exceptions of Australia, New Zealand, and France. It was later available only in New Zealand, parts of Australia, Thailand, and Tajikistan.<ref>{{cite web |title=RC Cola Thailand |url=http://www.rccolathailand.com/?page_id=673&lang=en |access-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-date=January 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131102733/http://www.rccolathailand.com/?page_id=673&lang=en |url-status=dead }}</ref> The company also released Cherry RC, a cherry-flavored version of the RC soft drink to compete with [[Cherry Coke]] and [[Wild Cherry Pepsi]].