Reed's
An American beverage company known for ginger drinks, ginger candies, and the Virgil's craft soda brand.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Reed's is an American soft-drink and confectionery company best known for ginger-based beverages and ginger candies. The company was founded by Christopher J. Reed, who began developing a ginger drink in 1987 while investigating ginger and its traditional health associations. After approximately two years of formulation work, Reed began marketing the beverage in Southern California in 1989. The business was initially incorporated in 1991 as Original Beverage Corporation and later adopted the Reed's corporate name. The company's central proposition has historically been a more distinctive, ingredient-forward alternative to mainstream soft drinks. Its Reed's line has included ginger beer, ginger ale, and other ginger beverages, while the company has also offered ginger candy. The brand's products have been associated with natural-food, specialty-food, and craft-beverage channels rather than only conventional carbonated-soft-drink distribution. In 2013, the company announced that its products would be labeled as free of genetically modified organisms, reinforcing its positioning in the natural and specialty grocery segments. A major expansion of the corporate portfolio occurred in 1999, when Original Beverage Corporation acquired Virgil's Root Beer from Crowley Beverage Company. Virgil's broadened the business beyond ginger drinks into premium and craft-style sodas, including root beer and multiple other flavors. The company subsequently operated two principal consumer-facing beverage portfolios: Reed's ginger beverages and candies, and Virgil's soft drinks. Reed's became a public company on October 11, 2006. During the late 2010s, the company undertook substantial organizational and portfolio changes. It reduced a product assortment that had exceeded 100 items to approximately 25 products, concentrating resources on its Reed's and Virgil's lines. The company also addressed its manufacturing structure: its Los Angeles facility was placed on the market in 2018, while Christopher Reed arranged financing to separate the facility and contract-bottling activities into California Custom Beverages Inc. Reed's moved its corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to Norwalk, Connecticut, in September 2018. The company has used specialty-food recognition and retail distribution to build awareness. Reed's Original Ginger Brew received specialty-food recognition in the United States and Canada, while Virgil's Root Beer received awards at the International Fancy Food and Confection Show. By 2018, Reed's products were reported as available through more than 30,000 American retail stores. The portfolio has also been available in Canada. In 2021, three soft drinks were introduced in resealable plastic bottles, reflecting an effort to adapt packaging to contemporary consumption habits. Reed's corporate governance and executive leadership changed several times after 2016. John Bello, a beverage-industry executive associated with the SoBe brand, joined the board as chairman in 2016. Christopher Reed moved from chief executive officer to chief innovation officer in 2017, and Valentin Stalowir became chief executive officer that year. Following Stalowir's departure in 2019, Bello temporarily assumed the CEO role, and Norman E. Snyder was appointed CEO in March 2020. The company's shares moved from Nasdaq to the OTC Market in 2023. Reed's remains principally identified with ginger beverages, premium soda, and specialty-food retailing.
History
Christopher J. Reed began researching and developing a ginger beverage in 1987. His work was informed by interest in ginger's traditional health associations and by the absence of a widely distributed American beverage built around a pronounced ginger flavor. After roughly two years of development, Reed began marketing the drink in Southern California in 1989, establishing the business that would become Reed's. In 1991, the company was incorporated as Original Beverage Corporation. This corporate structure supported the development and distribution of Reed's ginger drinks, which were positioned within the emerging natural-food and specialty-beverage sectors. The business differentiated itself from conventional soft drinks through ginger-forward flavor profiles and a craft-oriented identity. Over time, the portfolio expanded to include ginger candies as well as several beverage variations. The most important portfolio acquisition came in 1999, when Original Beverage Corporation purchased the Virgil's Root Beer brand from Crowley Beverage Company. Virgil's gave the company a second major platform: premium root beer and other craft-style sodas. This acquisition allowed the business to participate in the broader specialty-soda market while retaining Reed's as its ginger-focused identity. Original Beverage Corporation reincorporated as Reed's Inc. on September 7, 2001, with Christopher Reed serving as the initial director. The company later became publicly traded on October 11, 2006. Public-company status provided a formal capital-market structure, although the company continued to operate as a comparatively specialized participant in the soft-drink and confectionery industries. Reed's developed recognition in specialty-food circles. Reed's Spiced Apple Brew and Original Ginger Brew received finalist or product awards associated with specialty-food organizations, and Virgil's Root Beer received outstanding-beverage recognition at the International Fancy Food and Confection Show in 1994, 1996, and 1997. WholeFoods Magazine named Reed's the runner-up beverage company in its Natural Choice Awards in 2010 and 2011. These recognitions reinforced the company's reputation among natural-food and specialty-grocery consumers. In 2013, Reed's announced that its products would be labeled GMO-free. The move aligned the company with consumer expectations in natural and organic grocery channels and made ingredient-positioning part of the brand's communication. The company also continued distributing products through retail outlets in the United States and Canada. The late 2010s brought both portfolio simplification and corporate reorganization. In 2017 and 2018, Reed's reduced an assortment of more than 100 products to approximately 25. The stated emphasis was on the core Reed's and Virgil's beverage businesses, including a smaller Reed's soft-drink range and the larger Virgil's soda family. In January 2018, the Los Angeles manufacturing facility was placed on the market. Christopher Reed obtained additional financing and separated the facility and contract-bottling operations into California Custom Beverages Inc. Reed's then moved its corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to Norwalk, Connecticut, in September 2018. The company also announced executive appointments in finance, marketing, and supply-chain functions. Leadership changed repeatedly during this period. John Bello joined the board as chairman in 2016. Christopher Reed became chief innovation officer in April 2017, leaving the CEO position vacant until Valentin Stalowir was appointed on June 28, 2017. Stalowir's separation from the company became effective October 31, 2019, after which Bello temporarily served as CEO. Norman E. Snyder was appointed CEO in March 2020. In 2021, Reed's introduced three soft drinks in resealable plastic bottles, a packaging change intended to provide a more convenient format. By 2023, the company's shares had moved from Nasdaq to the OTC Market. Reed's current historical identity rests on the combination of its original ginger-drink business, the acquired Virgil's craft-soda portfolio, and its continuing role in specialty and natural-food beverage retail.
- 2023
Stock trading moves to the OTC Market
[1]Reed's shares move from Nasdaq to the OTC Market.
- 2021
Resealable bottle format introduced
[1]Three soft drinks begin to be sold in resealable plastic bottles.
- 2018
Headquarters move to Connecticut
[1]Reed's moves its corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to Norwalk, Connecticut.
- 2013
GMO-free labeling announced
[1]The company announces that all of its products will be labeled GMO-free.
- 2006
Reed's becomes publicly traded
[1]Reed's Inc. becomes a public company on October 11.
- 2001
Corporate name changes to Reed's Inc.
[1]The company reincorporates as Reed's Inc. on September 7.
- 1999
Virgil's Root Beer is acquired
[1]Original Beverage Corporation purchases Virgil's Root Beer from Crowley Beverage Company.
- 1991
Original Beverage Corporation is incorporated
[1]The business is incorporated under the name Original Beverage Corporation.
- 1989
Reed's begins marketing its ginger beverage
[1]After approximately two years of research and development, Reed begins selling the beverage in Southern California.
- 1987
Ginger beverage development begins
[1]Christopher J. Reed begins developing a ginger beverage while researching ginger's properties and uses.
Products and positioning
Specialty and craft soft drinks with an emphasis on ginger, distinctive flavors, and natural-food retail credentials.
Soft drinks · 1989
Reed's Ginger Beverages
Reed's core beverage family consists of ginger-forward carbonated drinks, including ginger beer and ginger ale styles. The line is associated with pronounced ginger flavor and a specialty or craft-soft-drink positioning. Variants have included Original Ginger Brew and Spiced Apple Brew, the latter combining ginger character with apple-oriented seasonal flavor cues.
Confectionery
Reed's Ginger Candies
The company's ginger candy range extends the Reed's ginger identity beyond beverages. These products provide a shelf-stable confectionery format centered on ginger flavor and are part of the reduced core assortment that followed the company's product-line rationalization in the late 2010s.
Craft soft drinks
Virgil's Root Beer
Virgil's Root Beer is the company's flagship non-ginger soda brand. Acquired in 1999, it helped establish Reed's as a broader participant in premium and craft-style soft drinks. The brand has received recognition at specialty-food events and forms the foundation of a wider Virgil's soda portfolio.
Craft soft drinks · 1999
Virgil's Soft Drinks
The Virgil's portfolio includes root beer and numerous other specialty soda varieties. By the late 2010s, the range was described as containing thirteen varieties, giving Reed's a broader flavor platform than its ginger-centered namesake line.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013GMO-free labeling initiative
United States · Canada
Reed's announced that its products would be labeled GMO-free, aligning product communication with the expectations of natural-food and specialty-grocery shoppers.
Outcome. The initiative made GMO status a visible part of the company's product positioning.
Brand decisions
2021
Resealable plastic bottle introductionProduct launchBackground
Consumers increasingly use soft drinks in portable and partially consumed formats.
Action taken
Reed's began selling three soft drinks in resealable plastic bottles.
Aftermath
The packaging update added a convenience-oriented format to the company's beverage offering.
2018
Manufacturing and headquarters reorganizationStrategyBackground
Reed's reviewed its manufacturing footprint and corporate organization during a period of portfolio streamlining.
Action taken
The Los Angeles manufacturing facility was put up for sale, related facility and contract-bottling operations were spun off into California Custom Beverages Inc., and corporate headquarters moved to Norwalk, Connecticut.
Aftermath
The company separated part of its manufacturing structure and established its corporate base in Connecticut.
2017
Product-line rationalizationStrategyBackground
The company had developed an assortment of more than 100 products, creating a broad and complex portfolio.
Action taken
Reed's reduced the assortment to approximately 25 products and concentrated attention on Reed's and Virgil's soft drinks.
Aftermath
The business adopted a more focused portfolio, with Reed's reported as having nine soft-drink varieties and two ginger-candy varieties, while Virgil's retained a larger soda range.
1999
Acquisition of Virgil's Root BeerM&ABackground
Original Beverage Corporation operated primarily around the Reed's ginger-beverage business and sought to broaden its specialty-soft-drink presence.
Action taken
The company purchased Virgil's Root Beer from Crowley Beverage Company.
Aftermath
Virgil's became the company's second major consumer-facing beverage platform and expanded its participation in craft soda.
Recent events
- 2023
Reed's shares move from Nasdaq to the OTC Market[1]
Other
The company's stock moved from Nasdaq trading to the OTC Market.
- 2021
Reed's introduces resealable plastic bottles[1]
Product launch
The company began selling three soft drinks in resealable plastic bottles.
- 2020
Norman E. Snyder appointed chief executive officer[1]
Leadership change
Norman E. Snyder became Reed's chief executive officer in March 2020.
- 2019
Valentin Stalowir leaves Reed's[1]
Leadership change
A separation agreement between Reed's and Valentin Stalowir became effective on October 31, 2019; John Bello temporarily assumed the CEO role.
- 2018
Reed's moves headquarters to Norwalk[1]
Other
The corporate headquarters moved from Los Angeles, California, to Norwalk, Connecticut, in September 2018.
- 2018
Reed's separates Los Angeles manufacturing activities[1]
Other
The Los Angeles manufacturing facility was placed for sale, while the facility and contract-bottling operations were spun off into California Custom Beverages Inc.
- 2017
Leadership transition begins under a new innovation role[1]
Leadership change
Christopher Reed moved into the newly created Chief Innovation Officer position, while Valentin Stalowir was appointed chief executive officer.
- 2017
Reed's restructures its product portfolio[1]
Product generation
The company streamlined an assortment of more than 100 products to approximately 25, with greater concentration on Reed's and Virgil's beverages.
- 2013
Reed's announces GMO-free labeling[1]
Other
The company announced that its products would carry labeling indicating that they were free of genetically modified organisms.
- 2006
Reed's becomes a public company[1]
Other
Reed's Inc. completed its public-company listing on October 11, 2006.
Sources1 sources
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