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In the 1980s, the cola landscape was changing rapidly. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and other soft drink brands were transitioning to non-sugar sweeteners and lower caffeine content in flagship colas, opting to use ingredients like high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and zero-calorie alternatives to create \u201cdiet\u201d versions of their popular sodas.<\/p>\n
In 1985, the father and son duo Joseph and C.J. Rapp developed an alternative to the big colas aimed at old-school soda purists and those looking for more of a kick from their fizzy drinks. Advertised as having \u201call the sugar and twice the caffeine,\u201d Jolt Cola positioned itself as a treat that harkened to the days of soda parlors. Thanks to its higher caffeine content, it found an audience among college students binge studying (and partying) and\u00a0software developers<\/a>\u00a0banging out code all night. While the caffeine content was nowhere close to modern energy drinks like Red Bull or Monster, it did prove there was a market for buzzier soft drinks 40 years ago.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, Jolt Cola would fade away by 2011, with a brief comeback in 2017 that didn\u2019t stick.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n