Soft drinks, and the companies that make them, are American icons. We at ABA are proud to represent this truly American industry that touches every corner of every community in this great nation.

The non-alcoholic beverage industry has one of the oldest associations in America. The American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages (ABCB) was established in 1919 with an active membership of 600 bottling plants. That number has changed over time - as has the industry and the association name. But throughout its history, American Beverage Association members have been responsible for more than 90 percent of all soft drink production in the United States.

In 1966, ABCB changed its name to the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA). A primary objective of the association at the time was to standardize product quality. In fact, it was not uncommon in those days to have the NSDA truck go out and visit bottling plants to help them get the "beverage mix" right!

As sure as the number of products Americans have demanded to quench their thirsts over the years have grown, so too has the beverage industry. With the increase in product categories, such as juices, waters, sports drinks, teas and energy drinks, the association found itself looking for a new name to reflect this diversity. And so, in 2004, the American Beverage Association was born.

ABA today represents hundreds of beverage producers, distributors, franchise companies and support industries. Our members employ over 220,000 citizens with good-paying, American jobs.

So when you grab your favorite non-alcoholic beverage today, wish the industry that made it a happy 90th birthday!