History:

 

Mountain Dew (currently stylized as MTN Dew) is a citrus-flavored carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in the 1940s by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman and was first marketed in Marion, VA, Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. A revised formula was created by Bill Bridgforth in 1958. The Mountain Dew brand and production rights were acquired by the Pepsi-Cola company in 1964, at which point its distribution expanded more widely across the United States.

Between the 1940s and 1980s, Mountain Dew consisted of a single citrus-flavored version. Diet Mountain Dew was introduced in 1988, followed by Mountain Dew Red which was introduced - and discontinued - in 1988. While Mountain Dew Red was short-lived, it represented the beginning of a long-term trend of Mountain Dew being produced in different flavor variations. This product line extension trend has continued in the 2000s, with expansion into specialty, limited time production, and retailer-specific (Taco Bell, 7-Eleven) variations of Mountain Dew.

Production was first extended to the UK in 1996, though this initial debut was short-lived as it was phased out in 1998. The product returned to the UK under the name "Mountain Dew Energy" in 2010 and returned to the Republic of Ireland in Spring 2011. As of 2009, Mountain Dew represented a 6.7 percent share of the overall carbonated soft drinks market in the U.S. Its competition includes Vault, Mello Yello, and Sun Drop; Mountain Dew accounts for eighty percent of citrus soft drinks sold within the U.S.

Fun Fact:

These cans were of the 1960s. The bottles were green and the labels were red and white. What looks like a hillbilly actually is a hillbilly and is known as "Willie the Hillbilly."

Fun Fact:

"Willy the Hillbilly" died when a new advertising agency, BBDO, took over the Mountain Dew account. The hillbilly, outhouse, pig and all were replaced by a modern look and advertising that targeted the younger soft drink crowd..

Fun Fact:

One of the flavors in Mountain Dew is orange juice. This gives the soft drink a tangy, yet smooth flavor. Another fun fact is that in Japan the drink has tangerine juice rather than orange juice.

Fun Fact:

One of the most popular rumors that's swirled around for years about Mountain Dew Soft Drink is that it contains a high amount of unhealthy caffeine. Long before energy drinks hit the scene, people were grabbing a Mountain Dew for a quick "pick-me-up." If you check the ingredients on a can of this soda, you'll see an eight-ounce serving contains 36 milligrams of caffeine. That means a twelve-ounce can contains a whopping 54 milligrams of stimulant.