History of diet colas

American Heritage magazine has an interesting story this issue on the history of diet colas. It points up the importance of smaller companies as innovators, since the first such drink did not come from the industry giants; it was a small (and now defunct) Brooklyn bottler called Kirsch Beverages that introduced No-Cal in 1952. It would be a decade before Royal Crown would introduce Diet-Rite, to be followed eventually by Coke and Pepsi.

At its heart the diet-soda industry reflects a larger American story—a wealthy and increasingly populous nation that is willing to pay for an edible product that does not offer even calories as a benefit.