A Look Into the Life of Caleb Bradham
Pepsi is a favorite soft drink brand for many of us. We all know Pepsi. Most of us have probably tasted a Pepsi soda at least once in our lives.
But do we know where this soft drink originated from? Who invented the Pepsi soft drink?
Is this inventor the same person who invented and propelled PepsiCo to become the successful corporation we know today? Yes, he is the same man, and his name is Caleb Davis Bradham.
Caleb Bradham concocted the first Pepsi-Cola drink in 1893 in the backroom of his drugstore. Fast forward 129 years later, this drink is still a powerhouse sold in multiple variations across nearly 200 countries.
Bradham’s circumstances throughout life are what led him to open a pharmacy, invent Pepsi-Cola and later establish and manage the Pepsi-Cola Company. Join us as we discuss the life story of this pharmacist, inventor, entrepreneur, and Shriner.
Childhood and Early Life
Caleb Bradham came to the world on May 27, 1867, in Chinquapin, Duplin County, North Carolina. He had only one sibling, Josephine Burton Bradham.
His parents were George Washington and Julia McCann Bradham. Bradham was of English and Scotch-Irish ancestry. He obtained his American background from John McCann, his great-great-great grandfather who served in the army.
Education
Bradham studied and grew up in Duplin County, North Carolina, where he later enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to pursue medicine.
After graduating in 1888, he joined the University of Maryland School of Medicine to continue his medical degree. Bradham worked part-time as a pharmacy trainee to support himself and help his family pay for his college tuition.
Bradham’s dream of becoming a doctor was cut short when his father declared bankruptcy and couldn’t pay his school fees. He returned to North Carolina and got a teaching job at Vance Academy in New Bern.
Despite losing the opportunity to become a doctor, Bradham never lost interest in the healthcare industry.
Early Career
Bradham enrolled again at the University of Maryland to pursue a pharmacy degree. After graduation, he opened a drugstore in New Bern, North Carolina.
Customers loved visiting his store to socialize, listen to music from his jukebox, and enjoy the soft drinks he concocted for them.
Like most pharmacies of the time, Bradham’s store had a soda fountain where he served soft drinks. One particular drink that customers enjoyed was Brad’s Drink.
Bradham concocted this drink using ingredients like sugar, African kola nut, caramel, lemon oil, carbonated water, and other flavors and additives. This drink was the foundation of Pepsi-Cola.
Founding and Managing the Pepsi-Cola Company
Brad’s drink quickly became a staple at Bradham’s drugstore. Bradham advertised this drink as a digestion aid since it didn’t have caffeine or drugs such as nicotine.
He believed Brad’s Drink was pure because it didn’t cause any harmful effects. In 1898, Bradham decided to give Brad’s Drink a spicier name, Pepsi-Cola. He also began distributing Pepsi-Cola in syrup to other pharmacies and stores with soda fountains.
Back at his drugstore, Bradham bottled and sold Pepsi-Cola.
He operated his soft drink business for four years and finally incorporated it in 1902, naming it the Pepsi-Cola Company. Bradham patented his Pepsi-Cola recipe and trademarked the Pepsi name a year later.
During this time, Bradham assigned an assistant to manage his drugstore as he committed more time to his soft drink business.
The Pepsi-Cola Company grew quickly, creating job opportunities for residents in and out of New Bern. Bradham’s strategy for expansion involved selling franchises.
He started with two bottling franchises; by 1910, there were nearly 250 Pepsi-Cola bottling franchises in North America.
The Temporary Fall of the Pepsi-Cola Company
Bradham continued to prosper in business until 1914 when his business suffered a setback. The onset of World War I caused a dire scarcity of sugar in the United States.
The government began rationing sugar and set price controls at 3 cents per pound.
Sugar was one of the main additives in Pepsi-Cola. Since Bradham could not obtain enough, he cut down Pepsi-Cola production, thus losing tremendous revenue.
After the end of the war in 1918, the government lifted the sugar rations and price controls. The price skyrocketed. The Pepsi-Cola Company could not sustain production under such high costs.
Unable to pay its debts, Bradham declared bankruptcy of his company in 1923 and sold rights to the Pepsi formula.
An investor called Charles G. Guth would later revive the Pepsi-Cola Company in 1931 and lead it to become a multinational corporation with operations worldwide.
Life After Pepsi-Cola
Even after the temporary fall of the Pepsi-Cola Company, Bradham still exhibited an interest in healthcare. He returned to his pharmacy business, which would eventually thrive.
Besides his drugstore, Bradham was also very actively involved in his community. He became a board member of the Craven County Board of Commissioners and later served as president of the People’s Bank of New Bern.
Bradham also involved himself in charity. He continued offering a scholarship prize to top pharmacy students at the University of North Carolina, something he started in 1902.
Bradham was also one of the co-founders of the North Carolina Naval Militia, which later became the Naval Reserve. At his retirement, he served as a rear admiral in this organization.
Personal Life
Bradham married Sarah Charity Credle on January 1, 1901. The couple had three children, Mary Bradham Tucker, Caleb Darnell, and George Washington.
Bradham enjoyed outdoor activities such as boating, hunting, and fishing during his leisure time. He was also a Shriner, Democrat, and Presbyterian.
The Death of Caleb Bradham
Caleb Davis Bradham passed away on February 19, 1934, after a long illness. He was buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in New Bern.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The information in this post answers many of the questions about Caleb Bradham. This section provides a summary and any additional information.
- How did Caleb Bradham die?
Caleb Bradham died due to a prolonged unknown illness.
- What were Caleb Bradham’s educational qualifications?
Caleb Bradham had an undergraduate degree in pharmacy, which he obtained from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.
- Why did Caleb Bradham make Pepsi?
Caleb Bradham invented Pepsi to improve his customer’s health. He was against drugs and narcotics, which were in most soft drinks of that time. He wanted his cola drink to aid in stomach upsets and digestion.
Bradham loved to experiment with different additive combinations that he thought were useful until he found one that seemed to make the perfect soft drink, Brad’s Drink.
- Who did Caleb Bradham marry?
Caleb Bradham married Sarah Charity Credle in 1901. They were blessed with three children.
- What drug was in the original Pepsi?
The original Pepsi-Cola did not contain any drugs or narcotics. It also didn’t have any pepsin, as some may assume. The main ingredients in the soft drink were sugar and vanilla.
- Who came first, Pepsi or Coke?
Coke came before Pepsi. Coke was invented in 1886, seven years before Bradham invented Pepsi-Cola.
Caleb Bradham Timeline
1867:
Caleb Bradham is born in Chinquapin, Dublin County, North Carolina.
1886:
Bradham enrolls at the University of North Carolina.
1888:
Bradham graduates from the University of North Carolina and joins the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
1889:
Bradham leaves the University of Maryland due to financial issues.
1893:
Bradham invents Brad’s Drink at his drugstore.
1898:
Bradham changes the name of Brad’s Drink to Pepsi-Cola.
1901:
Bradham marries Sarah Charity Credle.
1902:
Bradham incorporates the Pepsi-Cola Company.
1903:
Bradham patents the Pepsi-Cola recipe and trademarks his company’s name.
1905:
Bradham establishes the first two bottling franchises for the Pepsi-Cola Company.
1914:
Bradham’s company faces a setback when the United States government rations sugar.
1923:
Bradham goes out of business after declaring bankruptcy. He returns to his pharmacy business.
1934:
Caleb Davis Bradham passes away on February 19 after a prolonged illness.
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