Anyone know the history of O-So Grape Soda or the company

[SODABOB]

1950 - but the trail pretty much ends with Conover's connection with O-So Grape. Maybe after this he started working for Bubble Up.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

Here's some of the complicated stuff. If I understand this 1960 multi page document correctly it sounds like Benjamin Koch may have owned or was a co-owner of the O-So Grape Co. at some point. I think whoever was the owner is referred to as the "Defendant." If we can figure out who the defendant was we may have the answer we have been looking for.

Seven-Up Company V. O-So Grape, Co

shorturl.at

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

In the document I just posted it indicates that Benjamin R Koch's location was in Peoria, Illinois ...

His 1950 Census shows him as a "Proprietor Bottling Co." at that location. Peoria is about 50 miles south of Chicago. What did he bottle in Peoria? O-So Grape, Bubble Up, or both?

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

eBay O-So Grape bottle Peoria, Illinois described 1953 ...

Vintage 1953 O So Soda Pop Bottle 10 oz ACL Advertising Peoria Illinois Grape Ad | eBay

PEORIA, ILLINOIS. This is a really nice O-So Soda advertising ACL bottle. It is a ten ounce version of this desirable bottle. This piece is in very nice condition with sharp color. The piece presents beautifully.

shorturl.at

 

[shadeone]

If you look at the trade ads I posted a couple pages back, the July 1952 ad is the first to list 1015 S Washington St, Peoria IL as the address for the "O-So Grape Company". Before that it was 1931 W 3rd St, Chicago

 

[SODABOB]

Thanks = Totally cool! We may be onto something. Check out this 1955 Peoria, Illinois Bubble Up bottle that's on eBay ...

https://shorturl.at/cgQT0

 

[SODABOB]

Take a close look at the 1950 Koch census and at the end of the line you will see a capital O which stands for ...

 

[SODABOB]

I wonder if Benjamin Koch owned this Bubble Up trademark (1955-57)

"A Kiss of Lemon - A Kiss of Lime"

 

[SODABOB]

Even though this document was published in 1950 it covers a time period from June 1, 1948 to June 1, 1949. So I can't say for certain exactly when the O-So Grape reference was determined. However, the number 7784 might be a clue. I will look into that later. The main thing about it is that it appears the O-So Grape Co. in Peoria controlled the concentrate. It even says "various states." Again, I can't say for certain, but I'm thinking that whoever made, controlled, and sold the original formula concentrate would have been considered the king of the hill. Based on some earlier post, as well as some additional research I did, we know that Benjamin Koch was the proprietor and owner of the O-So Grape bottling plant in Peoria at least as early as 1950 and well into the early 1960s. But whether he was there between June of 1948 and June of 1949 is yet to be confirmed - although I will bet you a root beer that he was. All I know for certain is that Koch was the manager of a "Soda Water Beverage Co." in Peoria in 1940 as seen in the attached census record.

Bob

 

[SODABOB]

Next Questions / Possibly the final Questions ...

Even though Benjamin Koch was deeply involved with O-So Grape for a number of years and could very well have been in control of various aspects of the company such as the manufacturing and distributing of the concentrate, does that mean ...

1. He owned the entire company?
2. He owned just part of the company?
3. He didn't own any part of the company and was just a bottler distributor?
4. If he didn't own the entire company, then who did?
5. Most important of all - what role did Arthur M. Wirtz play?
6. Was Wirtz the sole owner?
7. If Wirtz was the sole owner, what time period would that have been?

Bob

1945