The Origin Story Of Capri Sun

The name "Capri Sun" conjures images of sun, fun, and childhood lunch boxes, so it's surprising to learn that the fruit drink has its origins in the middle of Cold War-era Germany. Capri Sun was invented in 1969 by the Wild family's company in Heidelberg, West Germany. Rudolf and Leonie Wild established the Zick-Zack-Werk Rudolf Wild company in Heidelberg, Germany in 1931, with the intent to create more natural ingredients for fruit concentrate beverages. 

Leonie kept the company running when Rudolf joined the WWII effort, not dissimilar to how Fanta was invented in Nazi Germany to keep Coca-Cola thriving in the country during wartime. The drink was known as "Capri-Sonne", as "sonne" is the German word for sun, in Germany and some international markets until 2017. The Capri part of the name comes from the Italian island of Capri, a famous vacation destination at the time near Germany. 

Rudolf and Leonie's son, Hans-Peter, entered the family business in 1973. Hans-Peter oversaw Capri Sun's expansion on a global scale, culminating in a 1979 advertising campaign in which boxing legend Muhammad Ali declared the beverage was, "...like me, the greatest of all time" (via Spiegel). Capri Sun first arrived in America in 1982,and was available in 52 countries around the world by 1991. Hans-Peter Wild is still owner and chairman of the Capri Sun company, which currently has its international headquarters in Switzerland.

Capri Sun literally thought outside the box from day one. Rudolf Wild sought an alternative to the traditional bottle, as he could not find a compatible bottling facility in the immediate area. He ultimately connected with a French sewing machine company, Thimonnier, that had patented the drinking pouch and the machinery to produce it. Rudolf bought all the machines from the manufacturer. While it took a few attempts to keep the liquid inside from spoiling, the pouch quickly gained renown upon its official launch.

Capri Sun's packaging has slightly evolved over the years. The brand added a clear bottom to the pouches in 2014 to help consumers better see if the drink inside has spoiled. Foil bottomed packages returned in recent years due to supply chain shortages for the clear ones — perhaps not the best move, as Wild Cherry Capri Sun was recalled in 2022 when cleaning solution was found in some batches. In 2021, in compliance with the EU's single-use plastic restrictions, Capri Sun changed its straws in the region from recyclable plastic to paper. However, it's recently pushed back on these regulations, and have reintroduced the original straw in Switzerland. And in 2024, the company introduced a 96 ounce bottle format.

Capri Sun recently discovered how much its fans love its classic pouches when a rumor spread on Instagram that the company was planning to pivot to a conventional twelve ounce bottle. The brand took to its official Instagram account to dispel the report, noting, "...we'd never disrespect the pouch and they're here to stay!" Capri Sun isn't getting rid of pouches, so everyone can breathe easy.