Our story
A beverage startup with roots that date back to the 1800s.
Great flavors just aren’t good enough. Four generations of craft, from a one-man birch beer route to a national brand, and now the next chapter.
From the Fiorina family archive.
1930s
A driver buys the business.
Our grandfather drove a truck for a small soda company in Paterson, New Jersey, hauling kegs of birch beer to bars, hot dog stands, banquet halls and town picnics. Eventually he bought it, a true one-man operation. He took care of his customers seven days a week.
After school
Learning in the mixing room.
Every day after high school, he’d pick Ron up and take him to the plant to sanitize and fill those same kegs. Ron worked his way up to the mixing room, learning formulation and batching. After graduation he took over the company full time.
1986
Two brothers take it national.
Mark Fiorina joined as a partner after college. Together they introduced 12 oz glass bottles and built national distribution through independent beverage wholesalers. Mark, a professional beverage formulator, developed every flavor they launched.
2026
POPSMITH, the next chapter.
Thick glass, real cane sugar, natural flavors, and never cutting corners on ingredients. Fifty years of beverage development and more than 100 essential oils mastered, in a brand that is a tribute to the past and a push into the future.
“We’ll always take the longer, more challenging path if it leads to a better-tasting, more satisfying drink.”
POPSMITH
Story told in POPSMITH’s own words from popsmithpop.com. Boylan Bottling Co. is a trademark of its respective owner. POPSMITH SODAWATER is an independent company and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Boylan Bottling Co.