WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine urged Coca-Cola to find a way to restart production of Northern Neck Ginger Ale, a beloved beverage among Virginians that was produced in the Commonwealth from 1926 until July 2020, when production was temporarily ceased due to the pandemic-related aluminum shortage and then discontinued three months later.
“Virginians take pride in the businesses that call the Commonwealth home. Even today, Northern Neck Ginger Ale remains beloved across the region for its distinct flavor and the fond memories it invokes,” Kaine wrote in his letter to Coca-Cola CEO James Quincy. “The discontinuation of Northern Neck Ginger Ale has been met with an outpouring of support for the soft drink, and thousands of Virginians have signed petitions urging your company to reconsider its decision or to sell the formula to another bottling company.”
“I urge the Coca-Cola Company to work to find a way to continue the production and sale of Northern Neck Ginger Ale in the region, whether it is restarting production, selling the brand to another company interested in producing it, or working with local stakeholders to find a producer able to license and distribute the brand regionally,” he continued.
For nearly 75 years, Northern Neck Ginger Ale was produced in Montross by the Carver family as a franchise of the Coca-Cola Company, until Coca-Cola purchased the recipe and moved production to Sandston in 2001.
Since the discontinuation of the product, Northern Neck advocates have attracted over 6,000 members to the “Save Northern Neck Ginger Ale” Facebook group, collected thousands of signatures on petitions, and purchased advertising space on a billboard in downtown Richmond to bring attention to this issue.
Full text of Kaine’s letter is available here and follows below.
Dear Mr. Quincey,
I am writing today to bring attention to the efforts of thousands of Virginians attempting to restart production of Northern Neck Ginger Ale.[1] I urge the Coca-Cola Company to find a way to once again make this beloved beverage available to Virginians.
Northern Neck Ginger Ale was first produced in 1926 when Arthur Carver developed its unique family recipe and opened a franchise of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Montross, Virginia. The soft drink’s sharp, real ginger flavor instantly garnered widespread popularity and turned Northern Neck Ginger Ale into a regional icon. The Carver family owned and operated its bottling company in Montross for three generations until the Coca-Cola Company purchased the recipe in 2001 and moved production to the Richmond suburb of Sandston. Due to the aluminum shortage in the early months of the pandemic, the Coca-Cola Company temporarily ceased production of Northern Neck Ginger Ale in July 2020. Three months later, the Coca-Cola Company discontinued Northern Neck Ginger Ale, citing a “global portfolio refresh.”
Virginians take pride in the businesses that call the Commonwealth home. Even today, Northern Neck Ginger Ale remains beloved across the region for its distinct flavor and the fond memories it invokes. The discontinuation of Northern Neck Ginger Ale has been met with an outpouring of support for the soft drink, and thousands of Virginians have signed petitions urging your company to reconsider its decision or to sell the formula to another bottling company.[2]
I urge the Coca-Cola Company to work to find a way to continue the production and sale of Northern Neck Ginger Ale in the region, whether it is restarting production, selling the brand to another company interested in producing it, or working with local stakeholders to find a producer able to license and distribute the brand regionally. I appreciate your attention to this issue.
Sincerely,
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