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265:. Although a common and popular sight throughout Wales, the horse-drawn wagons were phased out during the early 1930s and replaced by a fleet of motor vehicles. These vehicles, recognizable by their red and gold livery and Corona logo, were serviced and repaired by the company's own engineering shop attached to the Porth factory. By 1934 the Porth depot had 74 vehicles and three years later that number had risen to 200.
175:
In 1882 William Evans (born 1864), who himself came from
Pembrokeshire, came to work at the shop and lived with the family for three years. The two men became business partners setting up a chain of grocery stores and a few years later they branched into the soft drinks market. Initially, Evans had
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In 1934, William Evans died and the role of chairman and managing director was taken over by his brother Frank, a role he would maintain until 1940. Under Frank Evans' management the company continued to grow and by the end of the decade the factories of Wales were producing 170 million bottles a
284:
who kept the Corona brand. Although production continued to be centralised in South Wales, depots began to appear all over the United
Kingdom. Under new management Corona reached a new audience and during the 1960s was promoted by a series of television advertisements starring British singer and
224:, in the hope they could gain a foothold in public houses as a non-alcoholic alternative. This was an unsuccessful venture, however, and Evans was forced to find an alternative market. He struck upon the idea of selling door-to-door using
289:. With the rise of supermarkets in the late 1960s and 1970s, the public's shopping habits changed and the door-to-door sales reduced. During the 1970s, one of Corona's most memorable advertising campaigns used the slogan
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In the early 1920s, Evans decided to rebrand his soft drinks and chose the name Corona. A logo was devised consisting of seven wire topped bottles fanned to represent a crown over the new name (corona is Latin for
273:, saw a brief reintroduction of the horse and wagon delivery service. With the end of the war in 1945, the company went back into full production and reintroduced a motorized fleet. In 1950, the firm launched
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in the South Wales valleys led him to the production of carbonated drinks. Although partners, Thomas provided the money to set up the business and the money he loaned to Evans was at an interest rate of 50%.
132:, and distributed across the United Kingdom. The firm was created by grocers William Thomas and William Evans when they saw a market for soft drinks caused by the growing influence of the
232:, raspberryade and lemonade. By the turn of the century the company had over 200 salesmen delivering Corona drinks by horse-drawn delivery wagon across Wales, and two massive
249:). The brand was extremely successful and expanded across South Wales and at its peak, the company had 82 distribution depots and five factories, at Porth,
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year. With the outbreak of war in 1939, many of Thomas and Evans motor vehicles were commandeered by the government for war service. This, along with
164:, Pembrokeshire in West Wales. He came from a family of farmers, and at the age of fourteen he left home to take up an apprenticeship as a butcher in
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where he set up a butcher's shop, living above the shop. The business was a success and soon a warehouse was added and the shop enlarged.
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and a process to clean the glass bottles safely, allowing for the bottles to be reused after being returned by the customer for a
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not considered producing non-alcoholic beverages, but a chance meeting with an
American business man and the growing
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with a wire-hinged top to keep in the pressure of the carbonated drinks. Initially the firm produced
337:, where artists at the venue and viewers at home had the opportunity to draw from nude life models.
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297:. Britvic closed the Welsh Hills plant in Porth in 1987, with production being transferred to
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144:, eventually expanding to 87 depots and factories throughout Britain. Corona was sold to the
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In 2000, the old Corona factory in Porth was converted into a music recording studio named
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This article is about the
British soft drink. For the Mexican beer, see
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In 1987 the company again changed hands, coming under the ownership of
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168:. In 1874 he married Rowena Rowlands and they moved to the village of
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The Pop
Factory in 2004, based at the former Welsh Hills Factory in
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The 20 Ps of
Marketing: A Complete Guide to Marketing Strategy
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558:"Rhondda Pop Factory taken over by Valleys Kids charity"
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152:, but stopped trading as a brand in the late 1990s.
429:"Man who put the fizz into the South Wales Valleys"
380:. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 171.
376:; Menna, Baines; Lynch, Peredur I., eds. (2008).
331:In May 2020, the factory was the venue for BBC's
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532:"Britvic tries Seventies revival for Corona"
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136:. The company's first factory was based in
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280:In 1958, the company was bought by the
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498:. Kogan Page Publisher s. p. 81.
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128:produced by Thomas & Evans Ltd in
613:Bacchetta, Aldo; Rudd, Glyn (2000).
431:. walesonline.co.uk. 11 October 2007
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291:Every bubble's passed its FIZZical!
160:William Thomas was born in 1851 in
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194:Welsh Hills Mineral Water Factory
471:Carradice, Phil (26 June 2012).
115:Corona bottled carbonated drinks
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347:List of defunct consumer brands
184:Their first major plant was in
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204:. The bottles originally used
156:Creation of Thomas & Evans
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615:Porth, Gateway to the Rhondda
556:Roberts, Andy (8 July 2011).
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77:William Evans, William Thomas
672:History of Rhondda Cynon Taf
148:in 1958 and subsequently to
16:Brand of carbonated beverage
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518:Bacchetta, Rudd (2000) p.73
458:Bacchetta, Rudd (2000) p.72
449:Bacchetta, Rudd (2000) p.64
407:Bacchetta, Rudd (2000) p.63
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473:"The story of Corona pop"
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586:(Television programme).
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230:dandelion and burdock
647:Defunct drink brands
178:temperance movement
134:temperance movement
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617:. Stroud: Tempus.
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560:. bbc.co.uk
475:. bbc.co.uk
305:, England.
218:ginger beer
130:South Wales
103:Area served
636:Categories
564:11 January
538:11 January
479:11 January
435:10 January
353:References
303:Lancashire
206:Hiram Codd
126:soft drink
287:Dave King
285:comedian
96:Wales, UK
588:BBC Four
341:See also
263:Bridgend
251:Tredegar
170:Aberbeeg
112:Products
51:Industry
295:Britvic
259:Maesteg
188:in the
166:Newport
150:Britvic
142:Rhondda
91:Rhondda
74:Founder
64: (
59:Founded
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594:13 May
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299:Bolton
255:Pengam
240:Corona
162:Mathry
122:Corona
45:Public
27:Corona
319:Porth
275:Tango
247:crown
186:Porth
138:Porth
87:Porth
66:1880s
62:1880s
54:Drink
619:ISBN
596:2020
566:2014
540:2014
500:ISBN
481:2014
437:2014
382:ISBN
261:and
216:and
301:in
208:'s
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