7UP in the United States is made by Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), the American beverage company that owns the US distribution rights, while internationally 7UP is owned and distributed by PepsiCo, creating one of the most unusual brand ownership splits in the global beverage industry.
7UP is known as the original lemon-lime soft drink, created in 1929 and historically marketed as a caffeine-free alternative to cola, and for decades advertising itself as the “Uncola” in one of the most memorable American ad campaign histories in the soda category.
In the United States, 7UP is produced under license by Keurig Dr Pepper, a publicly traded American beverage company listed on NASDAQ under ticker KDP, which also owns Dr Pepper, Canada Dry, Snapple, Bai, and other brands in its extensive portfolio.
Knowing who makes 7UP helps buyers understand why this single brand has two different corporate owners depending on which country you purchase it in, and the history that created this unusual split.
This article covers 7UP’s founding, ownership history, the US-international split, and how 7UP compares to Sprite and Sierra Mist.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Who Owns 7UP in the USA?
In the United States, 7UP is owned by Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), which holds the 7UP trademark and distribution rights for the US market. KDP manufactures and distributes 7UP through its US beverage operations alongside Dr Pepper and its other brands.
Keurig Dr Pepper is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, and was formed from the merger of Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper Snapple Group in 2018. The company’s 7UP rights in the US came through the Dr Pepper Snapple lineage, which had owned the brand domestically since the 1980s.
Note: In August 2025, KDP announced a major corporate restructuring involving its acquisition of JDE Peet’s and a planned separation into two companies. Pop Tarts and snacking brands moved to Mars. The beverage brands including Dr Pepper and 7UP remain within the successor beverage entity.
Who Owns 7UP Outside the USA?
Outside the United States, 7UP is owned by PepsiCo, Inc., the American beverage and snack food giant headquartered in Purchase, New York. PepsiCo acquired the international rights to 7UP from its parent company in a separate transaction from the US rights, creating the unusual split ownership that exists today.
This means that a can of 7UP in France or Australia is a PepsiCo product, while the same brand in the United States is a Keurig Dr Pepper product. The recipes and brand identity are maintained consistently enough that consumers generally notice no difference, but the corporate and supply chain structures are entirely separate.
PepsiCo distributes 7UP internationally through its global bottler network, placing it alongside Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and its other owned and licensed brands in markets outside the US.
When Was 7UP Invented?
7UP was created in 1929 by Charles Leiper Grigg in St. Louis, Missouri, under the original name “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda.” Grigg had previously developed the Orange Crush brand before creating his lemon-lime drink.
The original formula contained lithium citrate, a mood-stabilizing compound, which was an ingredient in the drink from 1929 until 1950, when the FDA required its removal from beverages. The “Lithiated” in the original name referred to this ingredient.
The brand was simplified to “7 UP” in 1936. The origin of the “7” in the name has been debated, with theories ranging from the 7-ounce bottle size to the atomic mass of lithium (which is approximately 7). Grigg never confirmed an official explanation.
Where Is 7UP Made?
In the United States, 7UP is produced at Keurig Dr Pepper’s network of beverage manufacturing facilities and through licensed bottler partners across the country. Like most carbonated beverages, 7UP is produced regionally rather than at a single central facility, with local bottlers mixing and carbonating the beverage near the markets they serve.
The 7UP concentrate is produced centrally and distributed to regional bottling facilities, where it is combined with carbonated water, sweetener, and citric acid to produce the finished beverage. This distributed manufacturing model is standard for the carbonated soft drink industry globally.
KDP’s current 7UP product line includes regular 7UP, 7UP Zero Sugar, and various flavored variants. Current products are available at Keurig Dr Pepper’s 7UP brand page.
7UP vs Sprite vs Sierra Mist: Who Makes Each?
All three are or have been lemon-lime sodas competing in the same category, but from different manufacturers. 7UP (US) is made by Keurig Dr Pepper. Sprite is made by The Coca-Cola Company and is the dominant lemon-lime soda globally. Sierra Mist was PepsiCo’s US lemon-lime brand, which was rebranded as Starry in January 2023.
Sprite dominates the US lemon-lime category by a wide margin due to Coca-Cola’s distribution network and Sprite’s association with hip-hop culture through decades of targeted marketing. 7UP has declined from its peak as the “Uncola” challenger brand.
Keurig Dr Pepper’s ownership of 7UP in the US places the lemon-lime brand in the same portfolio as Dr Pepper, which is a distinct competitive positioning from Sprite (Coca-Cola) and Starry (PepsiCo).
Frequently Asked Questions About Who Makes 7UP
Is 7UP a Pepsi or Coke product?
In the United States, 7UP is neither a Pepsi nor a Coke product. It is owned by Keurig Dr Pepper. Outside the US, 7UP is a PepsiCo product. The brand was originally independent before its rights were split between different corporate owners in different markets.
When was 7UP invented?
7UP was invented by Charles Leiper Grigg in St. Louis, Missouri in 1929, originally named “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda.” The name was shortened to “7 UP” in 1936. The original formula contained lithium citrate until 1950, when the FDA required its removal from commercial beverages.
Why does 7UP have different owners in different countries?
The split ownership exists because the US and international rights to 7UP were sold separately over the decades. The Dr Pepper Snapple Group (now KDP) acquired US rights at one point while PepsiCo acquired international rights at another. Neither company has been willing to sell its portion to consolidate the brand under a single global owner.
Does 7UP still have caffeine-free positioning?
Yes. 7UP has been caffeine-free since its original formulation in 1929 and continues to market this as a product attribute. The brand positions itself as the lemon-lime alternative to cola drinks for consumers who want to avoid caffeine. 7UP Zero Sugar extends this positioning to a no-calorie option.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.