Most people think the soda industry is just Coke vs. Pepsi.

The truth? A third giant, Keurig Dr Pepper, owns many of the brands people assume belong to the big two.
Dr Pepper, 7UP, Canada Dry, Crush, A&W, and dozens more aren’t Coke or Pepsi at all.

This guide shows exactly who owns what soda brand in seconds, fast, clear, and visual.
No guessing. No conflicting answers. No wasted time.

The Big Three: Who Owns What (Coke, Pepsi & KDP)

You’re about to see just how concentrated the beverage world really is. We’ll break it down by company, with visuals that turn complexity into clarity.

Coca-Cola: What They Actually Own

Coca-Cola doesn’t just own Coke.They own entire categories, sodas, energy drinks, waters, juices.

To make this easy to digest, here’s a visual set covering everything.

Coca-Cola’s Core Sodas

Coca-Cola’s core lineup starts with the trademark cola family and expands across some of the world’s best-known soft drinks.

Below is the streamlined list of sodas Coca Cola owns

Brand	Notes
Coca-Cola	Flagship cola brand
Diet Coke	Zero-calorie cola variant
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar	No-sugar cola under the Coca-Cola Trademark family
Sprite	Lemon-lime soda
Fanta	Fruit-flavored sodas (global variations)
Barq’s Root Beer	Root beer owned by Coca-Cola
Fresca	Citrus soft drink
Mello Yello	Citrus soda (regionally distributed)
Seagram’s Ginger Ale	Coca-Cola holds U.S. rights
Inca Kola	Coca-Cola owns international rights; joint venture in Peru

Source & Verification

Brand ownership information is based on The Coca-Cola Company’s official portfolio, product sites, and public financial disclosures.

Official Coca-Cola brand list: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/brands

PepsiCo: What They Actually Own

Pepsi isn’t just Pepsi.

It commands one of the broadest beverage portfolios in the world, built across sodas, sports drinks, waters, teas, coffees, and energy brands.

Below is the clean breakdown.

PepsiCo Core Sodas

Brand	Notes
Pepsi	Flagship cola
Diet Pepsi	Zero-calorie cola
Pepsi Zero Sugar	No-sugar variant
Mountain Dew	Citrus soda; major global brand
Starry	Lemon-lime replacement for Sierra Mist
Mug Root Beer	Root beer owned by PepsiCo
Sierra Mist	Legacy Lemon-lime soda

Source & Verification

Brand ownership information is based on PepsiCo’s official brand portfolio, product sites, strategic partnership disclosures, and public financial filings.

Official PepsiCo brand list: https://www.pepsico.com/brands

Keurig Dr Pepper: What They Actually Own

Keurig Dr Pepper is the quiet giant of the beverage world.
Less flashy than Coke or Pepsi, but packed with iconic sodas, mixers, and regional favorites that dominate shelves across North America.

Here’s the clean breakdown.

Core Sodas

Brand	Notes
Dr Pepper	Flagship soda brand fully owned by KDP
7UP	U.S. rights only (international = PepsiCo)
Crush	Owned by KDP; bottled regionally
Canada Dry	Ginger ale + flavored mixers
Sunkist Soda	Licensed soda brand
A&W Root Beer	Owned by KDP; restaurants separately owned
Squirt	Citrus soda under KDP
Big Red	Owned by KDP
RC Cola	U.S. rights vary; international owned by RC Global

These are KDP’s flagship soft drinks, a mix of owned brands and powerful long-term licenses.

Source & Verification

Brand ownership information is based on Keurig Dr Pepper’s official brand portfolio, product sites, licensing agreements, and public financial filings.

Official KDP brand list: https://www.keurigdrpepper.com/brands/

Independent Soda Brands (The Fan Favorites That Aren’t Owned By Big Soda)

Not every drink comes from a billion-dollar corporation.

Some of the most recognizable and beloved sodas come from independent companies, the outliers that give the beverage world its personality.

Brand	Owned By
Jarritos	Novamex
Faygo	National Beverage
LaCroix	National Beverage
Shasta	National Beverage
Jones Soda	Jones Soda Co.
Reed’s / Virgil’s	Reed’s Inc.
Zevia	Zevia PBC
RC Cola (Global)	RC Global

These brands bring color, quirks, and cult followings to a market otherwise ruled by three giants.

Brand Ownership Timelines (Who Owned What, When)

Soda labels don’t tell the whole story. Behind the scenes, some brands have changed hands repeatedly, through mergers, buyouts, and licensing twists. These timelines make the history simple, visual, and impossible to misunderstand.

Ownership changes over time.
This is where confusion often starts — and where we solve it.

7UP

• 1929: Created independently
• 1986–1995: Ownership shifts through Hicks & Haas → DPSU → Cadbury
• 2008: Moves under KDP
• Today: KDP (U.S.), PepsiCo (International)

Tropicana

• 1998: PepsiCo acquires Tropicana
• 2021: PepsiCo sells 61% to PAI Partners
• 2021–present: PepsiCo retains distribution rights

RC Cola

• 1905: Founded
• 1993–2008: Triarc → Cadbury → Dr Pepper Snapple
• 2020: RC Global takes over international rights

Dr Pepper

• 1984: Dr Pepper merges with 7UP
• 1995: Cadbury acquires DPSU
• 2008: Becomes Dr Pepper Snapple Group
• 2018: Merges with Keurig → KDP

Snapple

• 1994–2018: Moves Quaker → Triarc → Cadbury → DPSG
• 2018: Becomes part of KDP

A&W

• 1971–Today: Ownership splits — restaurants (separate), soda (now KDP)

Hawaiian Punch

• Nabisco → P&G → KDP (key decades, no need for micro-date detail)

Schweppes (U.S.)

• 1980s–Today: U.S. rights transfer through Dr Pepper/Seven-Up → KDP

Inca Kola

• 1999: Coca-Cola buys international rights
• 2005–present: JV operates in Peru

Barq’s

• 1995: Acquired by Coca-Cola

Sunkist Soda

• 1980s–2008: Del Monte → Cadbury → Dr Pepper Snapple → KDP

Who Owns What Soda Today

The modern soda world looks complicated on the shelf — but behind the scenes, it’s remarkably concentrated. Three companies control most major brands, a handful of independents bring the personality, and decades of mergers and licensing deals created the ownership confusion you see today.

With this guide, you now know exactly who owns what, how brands are connected, and why the beverage world works the way it does.
Simple. Clear. No guesswork.