Where Did That Soda Come From?
Do you ever stop to think how your food or drink came to be on your plate or in your hand?
That is something that has been on my mind for awhile now. Actually, since reading Demon Under the Microscope, my curiosity has been sparked in many different areas. In that excellent book, life before and after antibiotics is examined. It amazed me.
It made me realize I take for granted so many things in my life today. In this century, so many things are at our fingertips. But I wonder how many of us think about how we got to this point. Do you?
That curiosity first led me to the simple soda, root beer. Not only a strange name, but also an unusual flavor. Where did it come from? How was it made? Why did it become popular? It was interesting to learn it was first made by pharmacists to be used as a medicine.
You can read the article here.
Besides learning about the drink itself, the research brought to my attention something new to look into. With the creation and the marketing of soda, there was a need for its container. There was a need for boxes that would hold and fit it properly for handling and shipping. Entire industries began for the soda’s benefit.
Which brings us to the next question. Do you ever consider just how many industries did start simply as back up support for a product? It’s rather fascinating, and of course applies to any product or creation. If you have an idea, whether food, drink, or article, you need materials to make it, and a company to package it.
It take a clever mind to see the look beyond a product and see a need. It would take a shift in the way we think often. That makes me wonder just how many built their success on the creation of soda that had nothing to do with the liquid itself.
You can carry that forward to getting the product into our homes, and you can trace it back to the goods needed to create a product. All in all it can be quite complicated, yet personally, I rarely think about it.
Next time you reach for something, think about it. Perhaps it will spark your curiosity too. It is fascinating to look at the back story of the conveniences we often take for granted.
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