Tuesday, September 23, 2014

From the Beverage Aisle - Hubba Bubba Soda

Product: Hubba Bubba Soda
Company: AJ Canfield Company - AKA "Novelty Beverage"
Years: 1988 - ?


If I was playing "100,000 Pyramid" in 1988, and was the one giving the clues, and the category just so happened to be "Things You Shouldn't Put into Your Mouth", you can bet that "Hubba Bubba Soda" would be the first thing I would say (after I had a good chuckle about all the OTHER, much dirtier things I could say, many of which wouldn't be suitable for daytime TV, most of them offensive enough to get Dick Clark to probably ban me from the show indefinitely, or at least until Ed Begley Jr. or Betty White were unavailable.)



Hubba Bubba Soda started to "pop" up (ha! see what I did there???) on shelves in 1988. It was the brain child of Steve Roeder, who concocted the flavor using bubble gum snow cone syrup. Initially released in the Chicago area, it became such a hit novelty drink that it started to have a much wider distribution, reaching most other parts of the US for a limited time. How limited? Good question. I'm not really sure if this soda lasted a year, or possibly 2, but it wasn't around for long. I remember seeing it, but never quite worked up the courage.

Because nobody wants to drink bubblegum. Fact.

Oh, and if it wasn't bad enough, it also came in Diet, because if you saw a Bubble gum flavored soda on the shelves and didn't want all the calories, you are a horrible person and should realize that Hubba Bubba bubblegum was made for children, and is made of 126% sugar. (wait, can something be over 100%? I'm 108% certain that it can...) If they made diet flavored bubble gum, would you buy it? No. No you would not. So why would you even THINK about buying a diet bubble gum flavored soda??? My god, man, take a look at your life, and try to put together the events that led you to standing here in this soda aisle, actually contemplating buying Diet Hubba Bubba Soda. Is this where you want to be in your life? Is it? IS IT?????

Cans of this soda still "pop up" (Boom! I did it again!!!) on Ebay from time to time, so if you've got about $30 or so tucked away for a rainy day and don't really feel like giving it to me, bid away and hopefully you can own one.

Novelty foods aren't meant to last forever, and Hubba Bubba Soda certainly was that. It was possibly created on a dare....I'm not sure. If I had a can right here in front of me, I'd try it, though I'd rather try a Diet one if you have it......I'm trying to lose some of this weight......

34 comments:

  1. To be fair, most chewing gums tends to borrow the flavors of drinks, so why not try the opposite?

    Still not a good idea as it beats the whole point of chewing on bubble gum, but if Chicagoans like it, then...?

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    1. I know I'm a LOT late to the conversation, but since I just searched for the soda & found this thread, I'm going to comment :) I'm allergic to artificial sweeteners, such as Aspertame, but I Loved gum as a kid. When the bubble gum soda came out, WITHOUT containing anything that would make me sick, I tried it. And LOVED it :) I wish they still made it.

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    2. But without chewing, is there any point?

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    3. For some no. Some people that can chew gum liked it anyway, for the taste. But since I personally can't have gum, there was a point in drinking it. I doubt I'm the only one in the world who's allergic to artificial sweeteners.

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    4. This drink was my favourite as a child, the best drink ever, so decided at 37 too see if it is still available gutted it's not.!!!

      You really lost out if u never tried it!!!

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    5. My God, man. You are piffed about it, aren't you? It was just a fun drunk for a bunch of 80's people who weren't ready for Monster energy drink which is bull Testicles(basically) enhanced juice that gets you cranked. We did alot of work off of that sugar, mister which is why you are here. Generation Y'ers will never understand the struggle...

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  2. Very true. We've all seen the Orange Crush, Hawaiian Punch, and Dr. Pepper gums, and it works. I don't know, there is still something mildly gross to me about going from a gum/candy to a soda, though. Yet at the same time, I would LOVE to see other gum/candy sodas, if for nothing else then for the "Can you believe they made this?" factor. Maybe Zebra Stripe Soda? Or Skittles Soda? Nerds perhaps could get the carbonated treatment? Wow, not that I think about it, how have these not been made? Oh, and do you remember the Fudgesicle soda they tried? I'm going to have to do a write up on that one too. So gross.....

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    1. There was, briefly, Life Savers Soda. Late 80's - Early 90's?

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    2. Yes Mom worked at a store and got me the lifesavors. We lived in washington so no hubba☹️

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  4. What about "surge"? I believe its only available online now

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  5. "Maybe Zebra Stripe Soda?"

    I always thought the company that made Fruit Stripe gum would make a killing if they made hard candies and soda after the flavor of their gum. One can wish...

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  6. I wanted to try this soda, someone brought a can to school one day, we looked all over and never found any

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  7. I love these sodas i have been looking for them for years i would buy a case if i could find them again. Bit it would have to be fresh not from 1988 lol

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  8. I love these sodas i have been looking for them for years i would buy a case if i could find them again. Bit it would have to be fresh not from 1988 lol

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  9. OMG I so remember this and I was soooo excited to try it when it came out! It. Was. AWFUL!!!!

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  10. i think they should sell hubba bubba soda these people that comment are so so dumb

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  11. Mary Roseberry Stringham you do not know what you are talking about and your middle and last name is a food berrt and ham๐Ÿ˜’๐Ÿ˜’๐Ÿ˜’๐Ÿ˜’๐Ÿ˜’๐Ÿ˜’

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  12. berry i mean good day stupid website ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜ 

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  13. good day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  14. I WANT HUBBA BUBBA SODA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  15. beacuse today is my birthday๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽˆ๐ŸŽ‰๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ€๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽˆ๐ŸŽ‰

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  16. Meijer sells a 6 pack of 7.5oz bubblegum flavored soda

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  17. Lived in Gary Indiana when I was a kid. My mom bought cases of this and Strack and Van Tills. Must have been 1988. I remember liking it as a kid.

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  18. Lived in suburban Chicago in 1988 and this soda was THE SHIT!

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  19. At a Grateful Dead show in 1988 we sold peanut butter, bananas and honey sandwiches and Hubba Bubba Pop!

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