The Cott Corporation (TSX: BCB NYSE: COT) is a leading supplier of private label carbonated soft drinks distributing to Canada, the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Europe. In addition to producing many private-label beverages for retailers, Cott also has a large and growing portfolio of its own brands. These brands include Cott, RC (excluding North America, where it is part of Dr Pepper Snapple Group), Ben Shaws, Stars & Stripes, Vintage and Vess soft drinks. Recently, Cott has been expanding its product line into ready-to-drink teas, sparkling and flavoured waters, sports and energy drinks, juice drinks and smoothies. These newer Cott brands include Orient Emporium, GL-7, Red Rain Energy and After Shock Energy.
The history of Cott goes back to 1923, when Cott Beverage Corporation was founded by Solomon Cott, a Polish immigrant, and his son Harry, in Port Chester, New York. Harry Pencer, a clothier from Montreal, Canada, began to import Cott sodas into Quebec, Canada, in 1952. In 1955 Pencer acquired the Canadian rights to the Cott label and established Cott Beverages (Canada) Ltd., to bottle the Cott line of sodas. From 1976 to 1991, Cott expanded its distribution throughout Canada and back into the United States and into Europe. During the 1960s and 1970s, labels for its products were printed with the punning slogan "It's Cott to be good". Vess Beverage assets and its division, Vess Specialty Packaging Company, was purchased in 1994. In 1969, the name was changed to Cott Beverages Ltd., and in 1991 to Cott Corporation.