Mason's Root Beer

Mason's Root Beer, also marketed as Mason's Old Fashioned Root Beer, is an American soft-drink brand with roots in the postwar regional soda market. The brand was first manufactured in 1947 by Mason & Mason, Inc., a Chicago, Illinois company. In its early decades, Mason's Root Beer was part of a broader line of flavored carbonated beverages and achieved distribution across the American Midwest and in parts of the South. Its historical identity was therefore that of a regional beverage label rather than a national-scale cola or root-beer franchise. The brand's corporate history became connected to a sequence of beverage consolidations during the 1970s. In 1970, Rheingold Corporation expanded beyond beer through the purchase of Grapette and subsequently operated its soft-drink interests under the Flavette name. Flavette later acquired both the Dr. Wells soda brand and Mason & Mason, Inc., bringing Mason's Root Beer into Rheingold's soft-drink portfolio. In 1975, Rheingold and Flavette were acquired by PepsiCo in a hostile takeover. The Federal Trade Commission determined that PepsiCo's resulting brand holdings were excessive in some categories and required divestitures. By 1978, Mason's Root Beer had been acquired by Monarch Beverage Company of Atlanta, Georgia. Monarch subsequently emphasized its higher-volume Dad's root beer brand, which it acquired in 1986, and Mason's was largely shelved in comparison. This reduced the brand's visibility and distribution, but did not eliminate its ownership or historical presence. Contemporary reference descriptions identify Mason's as a Monarch-owned root beer brand that is not widely distributed. Available information does not establish a current national marketing program, a separate corporate organization, or a broad international presence. Mason's significance lies in its survival through several layers of beverage-industry consolidation. It represents a regional American root-beer label whose manufacturing origins predate its later ownership by larger beverage companies. The brand's documented portfolio history includes the Mason & Mason period, the Flavette and Rheingold period, PepsiCo ownership during the divestiture era, and its subsequent placement within Monarch's beverage portfolio. Its principal offering remains root beer, with the historical product line also including other flavored carbonated drinks. Publicly available information does not provide reliable details on current production volumes, packaging formats, retail channels, executives, advertising campaigns, or financial performance.

Mason's Root Beer was introduced in 1947 by Mason & Mason, Inc. of Chicago, Illinois. It emerged during a period when regional bottlers and independent soft-drink companies served consumers through localized distribution networks. The company marketed Mason's Root Beer alongside other flavored carbonated beverages, and the brand reportedly achieved broad reach across the Midwest and some Southern states during its early years. The brand later became part of the consolidation of the American soft-drink industry. Rheingold Corporation entered the soda business in 1970 by acquiring Grapette and subsequently operating the activity through its Flavette division. Flavette acquired Dr. Wells and Mason & Mason, placing Mason's Root Beer within a multi-brand soft-drink portfolio. In 1975, PepsiCo acquired Rheingold and Flavette in a hostile takeover. Federal regulators subsequently required PepsiCo to divest certain brands because of concerns about the scale of its holdings. Mason's was acquired by Monarch Beverage Company by 1978. Monarch retained the brand but largely favored Dad's, a higher-volume root-beer label it acquired in 1986. As a result, Mason's became a less prominent and less widely distributed product. The brand is nevertheless identified as a Monarch-owned American root beer brand. Available references do not document a distinct modern corporate headquarters, current executives, national sales figures, recent product extensions, or major advertising campaigns.

1. 1986Monarch acquires Dad's

   Monarch's acquisition of Dad's increases the portfolio prominence of that higher-volume root-beer brand relative to Mason's.

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2. 1978Monarch acquires Mason's

   Mason's Root Beer moves to Monarch Beverage Company following PepsiCo-related divestitures.

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3. 1975PepsiCo acquires Rheingold and Flavette

   PepsiCo's hostile takeover places Mason's within its expanded beverage holdings.

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4. 1970Rheingold enters soft drinks

   Rheingold enters the soda business through its acquisition of Grapette and the creation of the Flavette soft-drink division.

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5. 1947Mason's Root Beer is introduced

   Mason & Mason, Inc. of Chicago begins manufacturing Mason's Root Beer and associated flavored soft drinks.

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A traditional American regional root beer brand with an old-fashioned soft-drink identity and limited contemporary distribution.

• Mason's Old Fashioned Root BeerRoot beer1947

  The brand's principal and defining product is an American-style root beer sold under the Mason's name, also described as Mason's Old Fashioned Root Beer. It originated as part of Mason & Mason's regional soft-drink business and was distributed especially in the Midwest and parts of the South during its earlier history. The product remains associated with Monarch Beverage Company, although reference material characterizes its present distribution as limited.

• Mason's flavored soft drinksFlavored carbonated soft drinks

  Mason & Mason historically produced a broader line of flavored carbonated beverages alongside its root beer. The available reference confirms the existence of this flavors line but does not identify the individual flavors, packaging, formulas, or whether any flavors remain commercially available under the Mason's name.

• 1978Monarch acquires Mason's Root BeerM&A

  Regulatory divestitures following PepsiCo's acquisition of Rheingold created an opportunity for Mason's to leave PepsiCo's portfolio.

  What changed. Monarch Beverage Company acquired Mason's Root Beer.

  Aftermath. Monarch largely shelved Mason's in favor of Dad's, which became the company's higher-volume root-beer priority after its 1986 acquisition.

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• 1975PepsiCo takes over Rheingold and FlavetteM&A

  Rheingold's Flavette division owned Mason & Mason and therefore controlled Mason's Root Beer when PepsiCo pursued the takeover.

  What changed. PepsiCo completed a hostile acquisition of Rheingold and its Flavette soft-drink interests.

  Aftermath. The FTC required PepsiCo to divest several brands because of concerns about the size of its brand portfolio. Mason's was later transferred to Monarch.

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• 1986Monarch acquires Dad's root beer

  Monarch Beverage Company acquired the higher-volume Dad's root beer brand. The acquisition reinforced Monarch's emphasis on Dad's relative to Mason's within its root-beer portfolio.

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• 1978Mason's Root Beer moves to Monarch Beverage Company

  Mason's Root Beer was acquired by Monarch Beverage Company, which later prioritized its larger Dad's root beer brand and left Mason's with limited distribution.

  M&A
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• 1975PepsiCo acquires Rheingold and Flavette

  PepsiCo completed a hostile takeover of Rheingold and its Flavette division, temporarily placing Mason's Root Beer within PepsiCo's enlarged beverage portfolio.

  M&A
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• 1970Rheingold enters the soft-drink business through Grapette purchase

  Rheingold Corporation expanded into soft drinks by acquiring Grapette and organizing the activity under the Flavette name, establishing the corporate context in which Mason & Mason and its brands were later acquired.

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• Flavette acquires Mason & Mason

  The Flavette division acquired Mason & Mason, Inc., bringing Mason's Root Beer into the Rheingold soft-drink portfolio. The available reference does not specify the precise year of the transaction.

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• FTC requires divestiture of some PepsiCo beverage brands

  The Federal Trade Commission concluded that PepsiCo controlled too many brands in the relevant beverage context and required the company to divest several holdings. The reference does not provide a precise decision date.

  RegulationM&A
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1. Mason's Root Beer