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DALLAS (January 12, 2011)—Dr Pepper is ending its relationship with its bottling plant in Dublin, whose distinctive cane-sugar-sweetened product was a magnet for aficionados of the soft drink.

The parting of ways settles the infringement suit that the Plano-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. filed against the Dr Pepper Bottling Co. of Dublin, the bottler of what’s become known as “Dublin Dr Pepper.”

“Our main focus has always been on protecting the strength and integrity of the Dr Pepper trademark,” said Rodger L. Collins, president of Packaged Beverages for the Doctor Pepper Snapple Group..

“We’re pleased to reach an agreement that accomplishes that while also preserving the history and the special relationship Dr Pepper has with the Dublin community,” Collins said.

Under the agreement, the Dr Pepper Snapple Group purchased all of the Dubin bottler’s sales and distribution operations and related assets and the rights to distribute Dr Pepper and other brands including Nu Grape and Big Red in the six-county territory the Dublin plant served.

The 120-year-old plant in Dublin will continue to do business as Dublin Bottling Works, Inc., producing other soft drinks and operating its museum and Old Doc’s Soda Shop, providing tours and selling soft drinks, food and officially licensed Dr Pepper merchandise, the companies said in a joint press release.

”We want to thank our many customers for their support of our family-owned business during the past 120 years, and we want them to know that Dr Pepper is still a big part of Dublin,” said Jeff Kloster, vice president of Dublin Bottling Works.

“We hope customers will continue to visit our town, the W.P. Kloster Museum and Old Doc’s Soda Shop, where they can still enjoy Dr Pepper sweetened with cane sugar.”

Dr Pepper Snapple says it will continue to distribute the Dr. Pepper sweetened with cane sugar for which the Dublin bottler is famous.
Doctor Pepper Snapple will distribute Dr Pepper sweetened with pure cane sugar throughout the Dublin’s plant former six-county territory and in other parts of the state as well including the Dallas-Fort worth area, Houston and Waco, the birthplace of the soft drink.

The based beverage maker filed the suit in June 2011, alleging that Dr Pepper Bottling Co. of Dublin was selling Dr Pepper beyond the six-county territory allowed under its license agreement and that the company was wrongfully selling soda with "Dublin Dr Pepper" labeling on packaging and other merchandise.

The bottler, according to the company, was marketing a version of Dr Pepper made with cane sugar as "Dublin Dr Pepper." ‘

The Dublin plant is one of several bottlers authorized to make the drink with cane sugar, but it's not allowed to modify the name and logo as such on the labeling, according to the agreement.
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