My latest column in the Charleston Gazette-Mail:
Tucked along the Allegheny River in western Pennsylvania, Natrona Bottling Company has been quietly preserving a fizzy slice of history for nearly 120 years.
Founded in 1904 in the mill town of Natrona, the company is one of the last surviving independent bottlers in the country still making soda the old-fashioned way.
For generations, its iconic Red Ribbon line of sodas and specialty flavors have carried forward a distinctly Appalachian story — one of resilience, craftsmanship and community.
Natrona Bottling began at a time when Appalachia’s industrial towns were booming with steel mills, coal operations and glass factories. Soda was both a luxury and a symbol of modern convenience, and local bottlers popped up to meet demand.
Unlike the sweeping national brands that would later dominate the market, Natrona’s early success came from its devotion to local tastes and its ties to the working-class communities in Pennsylvania’s Appalachian foothills. Their product wasn’t mass-produced; it was handcrafted, carbonated with genuine dry ice, and bottled in glass that could be reused again and again.
One of Natrona’s most enduring contributions has been its devotion to tradition. While Coca-Cola and Pepsi embraced high-fructose corn syrup and automated bottling decades ago, Natrona held fast to pure cane sugar and the hands-on methods that set it apart.
That commitment to craft resonates deeply in Appalachia, a region where hand-made, small-batch and family-driven enterprises have long defined the cultural landscape.
Just as Appalachian quiltmakers or fiddlers preserve traditions through practice rather than mass production, Natrona Bottling treats each batch of soda like an heirloom passed down through generations. The company’s longevity is a testament to the Appalachian ethic of doing more with less, surviving downturns and valuing authenticity over scale.
Natrona’s flagship line, Red Ribbon, is a love letter to regional taste buds. Classics like cherry, root beer, and ginger ale evoke the soda fountains and corner stores that dotted Appalachian towns throughout the 20th century.
More adventurous offerings, like their Jamaica’s Finest Ginger Beer, cater to those who crave bold spice and a nostalgic burn. Red Ribbon Cherry Supreme is another popular choice.
Natrona’s sodas made their way through coal towns, steel mill camps and general stores across the upper Appalachian region, traveling along rail lines and winding roads.
Like much of Appalachia, Natrona’s surrounding community suffered from deindustrialization as steel mills closed and jobs disappeared. Many local businesses shuttered, unable to compete with corporate giants.
But Natrona doubled down on its heritage. They leaned into their identity as one of the few authentic bottlers left, catering not just to nostalgic locals but also to a growing national audience of craft soda enthusiasts. In doing so, they mirrored the Appalachian narrative of resilience — finding ways to endure in a changing economy by leaning on authenticity and tradition.
Natrona Bottling remains as a symbol. It represents the endurance of small family businesses in a region often defined by economic struggle. It embodies the Appalachian value of holding tight to heritage while still adapting to new audiences.
More than just a soda, Natrona is a story—one that bubbles up from Appalachia’s industrial past and carries its flavors forward into the present. It’s proof that tradition, when cared for and celebrated, can be as refreshing and enduring as the first sip from a glass bottle on a hot day.
