Faygo beverages started in 1907 when Russian native brothers, Ben and Perry Feigenson started mixing together cake
frosting-recipes. This is how Faygo made some of it's more popular sodas like Redpop, Rock & Rye and, Fruit Punch. They
sold their pop that was made in a small bottling plant in Detroit off the back of a horse cart. Little changed until 1924, when the
bulky name of Feigenson Bottle Works was changed to Faygo beverages.
Business began to boom near the beginning of World War I so the brother needed to expand. They moved the whole operation in 1935, to the now famous factory on Gratiot Street.
Faygo is also known for their many famous commercials. The "Faygo Kid" an ad which ran from the early 1960's to the mid 1970's. But the most memorable commercial was the "Remember When You Were a Kid" ad. The song alone sold over 70,000 copies! Running from 1971 through 1977, the song as made a loving imprint in the minds of many.
In 1978, Faygo's only major crisis in their 90-year history occurred when the Michigan bottle deposit law took effect. Faygo wasn't at all prepared for this. They had to install all new bottle washing equipment which changed the whole operation. It took a few years, but they eventually recovered.
Faygo now holds a 12-percent market share in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and western Pennsylvania, posting sales of about $100 million last year. Their price advantage over Coke or Pepsi is what really seems to push the bottles off the shelves. At 60 cents for a two-liter of the pop, the competition can't come close to beating the prices.
Over 90 years in business, Faygo seems to have no end to their relentless success. They have made their mark in the streets of Detroit and in the minds of many soda drinkers. Pumping out more than 2 million bottles every day, Faygo will continue to have a firm grip on the beverage industry.
