Crowley says the continued popularity of polar comes from the fact that they haven't changed their recipes over the years. Manfred Moehring has worked there for 56 years and worked under four generations of Crowley's. According to Crowley, though, the company thrives because of its Worcester workforce, which at about 800 strong makes up half of the company's total employees. Moxie's flavor is unique, a sweet drink with a bitter aftertaste. [5], A polar bear named Orson has been the company's mascot since 1902. To explore Polar Beverages‘s full profile, request access. Merchandiser (Former Employee) - Worcester, MA - January 13, 2016. Crowley tells me that Polar's 500-person sales force helps him get wind of new beverages when they are just getting started. It is a manufacturer and distributor of sparkling fruit beverages, seltzer, ginger ale, drink mixers, and spring water to customers in the United States. "I think it's the quality of the ingredients," Crowley said. Moxie is flavored with gentian root extract, an extremely bitter substance commonly used in herbal medicine. It is a manufacturer and distributor of sparkling fruit beverages, seltzer, ginger ale, drink mixers, and spring water to customers in the United States. There are two main types of ginger ale. Today, Polar Beverages Incorporated is the largest independent bottling company in the United States, comprised of their own brands – including Polar Seltzer, Adirondack, Clear & Sparkling, O Water and Frannie’s – along with strong brand partnerships for bottling, private-label manufacturing and distribution for both regional and national brand partners. That’s when Polar got out of the whiskey game and began selling carbonated beverages like waters, ginger ales and drys. A look at Polar Beverage's original factory in Worcester, Lindsay Corcoran | lindsay.corcoran@masslive.com. It is the largest independent soft-drink bottler in the United States. 1001 Southbridge St Machines on the factory floor are non-stop as bottles are filled, capped, labeled and prepped for shipping in the full-service plant. The company has two bottling plants and six distribution facilities; it also offers corporate water services and beverage vending equipment.[2]. The company had $120 million in revenue in 2015 and expect[ed] to reach $300 million in 2016," according to Bloomberg. But Polar uses such information to help convince customers to stock its products. Polar Beverages begins as a sparkling water company in Worcester, Ma. And if the next generation of leadership at Polar can keep the company running young, it would be a mistake to sell it. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton and was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coca-Cola to its dominance of the world soft-drink market throughout the 20th century. It is the largest independent soft-drink bottler in the United States. The oversized bear is tied down by wire, to keep the bear in place during rough weather, and to prevent theft. Today Polar Beverages produces and distributes from three locations, Worcester, Massachusetts; Albany, New York; and Fitzgerald, Georgia. In a recent interview with Crowley I learned about five practices that keep Polar from resting on its laurels. It is a manufacturer and distributor of sparkling fruit beverages, seltzer, ginger ale, drink mixers, and spring water to customers in the United States. It is available in three flavors: Green Tea, Tropical Pomegranate, and Mixed Berry. Sometimes, these capital-starved companies approach Polar to suggest it invest capital. [6] Next to the company's billboard near I-290 in Worcester, there is a large inflatable version of Orson, which can be seen smiling and "waving" to passersby. Potawatomi Indians and settlers believed that the nearby White Rock natural spring had special medicinal powers, so White Rock Beverages started out as destination for vacationers and health seekers. Shasta Beverages is an American soft drink manufacturer which markets a value-priced soft drink line with a wide variety of soda flavors under the brand name Shasta. The dry style, a paler drink with a much milder ginger flavour, was created by Canadian John McLaughlin. In 1916, the company took on the Polar name, but Prohibition brought about a fundamental change. "It's a nice place to work. That's the opposite of what happened with Polar. A soft drink is a drink that usually contains carbonated water, a sweetener, and a natural or artificial flavoring. Polar owns franchise brands like 7Up, A&W, and Sunkist that are both sugar and diet. "So along came the drys.". By 1876, the company was bottling and distributing the natural spring water throughout the country. It is the largest independent soft-drink bottler in the United States. The Polar line itself is a dominant part of most Northeastern supermarket soft-drink aisles. Worcester, MA 01610, Today, Polar Beverages Incorporated is the largest independent bottling company in the United States, comprised of their own brands – including. "He says we're all the same. Crowley volunteers an answer twice to a question I did not ask: "Polar Beverage is not for sale.". To view Polar Beverages’s complete executive team members history, request access », To view Polar Beverages’s complete acquisitions history, request access », To view Polar Beverages’s complete subsidiaries history, request access », Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing & Treasurer. The golden style is credited to the Irish doctor Thomas Joseph Cantrell. Soft drinks may also contain caffeine, colorings, preservatives, and/or other ingredients. We are also [distributors of] Bai Waters, Vita Coco, Snapple and Nantucket Nectars.". When Prohibition came along, he came up with a new recipe for drys that is still used by the company to this day. The beverage maker markets products under its flagship Polar brand. Polar was founded by Ralph’s great-grandfather, Dennis Mark Crowley. It is common to think of competitors copying … They bought Adirondack Beverages in Scotia, New York in 1995 and acquired a Winn Dixie plant in Georgia in 2012. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a sugar substitute, or some combination of these. It also bottles and distributes beverages for third party producers. While Polar has been in the Crowley family ever since, its current chairman Ralph Crowley - who is the fourth generation of Crowleys to lead the company -- has defied the idea that the first generation starts off poor and builds the business, the second generation expands it further, and the third generation is so spoiled by the wealth thus created that it runs the business into the ground. But in developing the fifth generation of Crowleys, he has a strict policy that gives his children an opportunity to prove their mettle - without any guarantee that they will ultimately grab the brass ring. From their heritage recipes, such as Polar Orange Dry and Birch Beer, to the playful introduction of modern seasonal seltzers, the people of Polar Beverages continue to love what they do and work hard to uphold the values of its founder. If Crowley is convinced that the new beverage has significant potential, Polar will provide "private equity" capital. "We haven't cheapened them out. We don't mess with mother nature.". It also bottles and distributes national brands, such as 7UP, A&W, Izze, Gatorade, AriZona, Snapple, and Sunkist. “Orange Dry has been in the product line since 1930,’’ Izzy said. [6] Next to the company's billboard near I-290 in Worcester, there is a large inflatable version of Orson, which can be seen smiling and "waving" to passersby. Polar's three plants take about 150 people per plant, per shift to run. [7], In 1994, Polar made a TV commercial where a polar bear considers drinking a Coca-Cola, but throws it into a recycling bin marked, "Keep the Arctic pure." The company sells its products in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, New England and Upstate New York. Polar Beverages General Information Description. The polar bear then reaches down into the freezing Arctic water and pulls out a can of Polar Seltzer and drinks from it contentedly. This is disputed by some researchers and public advocates. m_gallery = "a_look_at_polar_beverages_original_factory_in_worcester"; Polar Beverages disproves the adage that a family business goes from shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations. m_gallery_id = "18637092"; Polar Beverages can trace its beginnings to a spring water company founded in 1882 and purchased by a distiller named Dennis Crowley to enhance his whiskey business. Back then, city water was undrinkable and people were happy to pay for the water the company pumped from a well in Spencer. As a result, the category doubled and we now have a 48% share of the seltzer market.". Polar stopped selling whiskey and began selling carbonated beverages like waters, ginger ales and drys.