A sure sign of summer in Shawano: SunDrop soda, which has been bottled by Twig’s Beverage since 1953. And although the century-old “Golden Cola” has since been acquired by Keurig Dr. Pepper and distributed nationally, Shawano is the only place in the world that offers the product in returnable glass bottles.
Twig’s Beverage Vice President Ben Hartwig, the grandson of company founder Floyd Hartwig who runs the business today alongside his parents, two brothers and sister-in-law, says the Shawano version of SunDrop consistently wins taste tests among enthusiasts who visit Twig’s Museum and Gift Shop.
“You can have all the SunDrops in a line, and they’ll be able to pick out the one from a glass bottle,” Hartwig says. “We make our product using real granulated sugar as the sweetener, whereas SunDrop that comes in a can or plastic bottle will have corn syrup.”
For many loyal customers, the nostalgia of glass bottles also adds to the appeal of Twig’s SunDrop. Plus, Hartwig says, there’s strong community pride in the product.
“When you go to different restaurants and bars [in Shawano], you can tell who’s not from the area because they’ll have Mountain Dew at their table,” Hartwig says. “There’s fantastic support here in Shawano; it’s been a strong staple of the community.”
While Hartwig says SunDrop is enjoyed year-round, the lemon, lime and orange beverage garners extra excitement this time of year. Since 2017, SunDrop Dayz has been a unifying community festival that ushers in summer in Shawano. This year’s event is set for June 3-4 and will feature food, live music, kid zone, lumberjack show, craft fair and a new strongman competition.
“With summer kicking off, it’s going to get busy,” Hartwig says.
