MADISON – Feelings of nostalgia welled up among voters who chose Jolly Good Soda as the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin for 2024.
Representatives from Coolest Things sponsors Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) and Johnson Financial Group on Thursday afternoon announced that Random Lake in the Lake had made it into the final round of voting among this year’s four finalists. Executives from Krier Foods, makers of Jolly Good, said it was an honor to win this year’s award and hear customer stories associated with the iconic brand.
“The employees who help every day take great pride in the company’s family heritage, Wisconsin ties and being able to bring a smile to our friends, families and neighbors” Food, in a media – release. “Thank you to all the other iconic Wisconsin brands for participating, and thank you to everyone who voted for Jolly Good!”
Jolly Good’s path to the final four involved a work boot and a mix of burger seasons. In the final round of voting, it defeated an ice fishing detector created by Vulture Systems LLC, military medals and insignia created by Medalcraft Mint and a John Deere Riding Mower.
Now in its ninth year, the competition is designed to highlight the depth and breadth of products made right here in Wisconsin by companies that employ nearly 500,000 people and contribute $71.5 billion to the nation’s economy stands.
“Our manufacturers create jobs, invest in their communities and support their workforce. The Coolest Thing Created in the Wisconsin competition showcases the depth and power of manufacturing, including the diversity of products used right here in our backyard that span the are used around the world,” WMC President and CEO Kurt Bauer said in a press release. “Congratulations to all the manufacturers who took part and the entire team at Jolly Good.”
The beloved Wisconsin drink closed in the 2000s but was revived nearly a decade ago
According to previous reporting, Krier Foods first tasted soft drink packaging in the 1920s. After briefly packaging Coca-Cola in the 1960s, the company developed a taste for the soft drink industry and launched Jolly Good.
It quickly became a mainstay of Wisconsin gatherings and cookouts in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s before the brand struggled to compete with the dominant global soda brands. The company closed Jolly Good in 2007, but John Rassel, a cousin of the Krier family, relaunched the iconic Wisconsin soft drink in the 2010s. The company currently offers eight flavors for sale, ranging from root beer to blue raspberry.
More history: Jolly Good Soda was dead. Then a family legacy brought back the Wisconsin-made drink.
Previous winners of Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin include Harley-Davidson, Oshkosh Corp. and De Pere kringle
Jolly Good Soda now takes its place in the Coolest Thing pantheon as the ninth product to receive this honor.
Since 2016, WMC has asked voters to choose a “coolest thing made in Wisconsin” to highlight the state’s manufacturing industry. Wisconsin’s more than 9,000 manufacturing companies employ approximately 500,000 people and contribute nearly $72 billion to the state’s economy.
The past winners are:
Contact business reporter Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Jeffbollier.
This article originally appeared in Green Bay Press-Gazette: Nostalgic Soda Bubbles Up to Win Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin
