In 1916, Clayton J. Howell, president and founder of the Orange Crush Company, partnered with California chemist Neil C. Ward to incorporate the company. Ward, a beverage and extract chemist, perfected the process of blending ingredients to create the exclusive formula that yielded the zesty, all-natural orange flavor of Orange Crush. J.M. Thompson of Chicago is recognized as the original inventor of Orange Crush in 1906.

C. J. Howell was not new to the soft drink business, having earlier introduced Howell’s Orange Julep. Howell sold the rights to use his name in conjunction with his first brand; his partner, Ward, was given the honors and Crush was first premiered as “Ward’s Orange Crush.”

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