This film is part of Free

"Corona" Cordials taken hot - are good to drink and good for you

It's so easy to drink reviving Corona Cordials because the Corona man delivers right to your door.

Advert 1938 1 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales

Overview

If a man's been out in the rain, and returns sodden to his study, a Corona Cordial served hot will offer the same comfort as a hot toddy. That was the hope of the original Mr Thomas and Mr Evans, grocers, when they set about manufacturing soft drinks in the 1890s as an alternative to alcohol for thirsty Rhondda miners. Failing to get pubs to stock their drinks, they sold door-to-door very successfully (via the ‘Corona man') and introduced flavours that would appeal to children.

The Corona drinks were manufactured initially in Porth, Rhondda, and later at factories in e.g. Pengam, Maesteg and Bridgend. The factory in Porth was known as the ‘Welsh Hills Mineral Water Factory'. Since 2000, the building has housed a recording studio known, appropriately enough, as ‘The Pop Factory'. Corona was sold in 1958 to The Beecham Group, which kept the company brand and production continued in south Wales until in 1987 the company was bought by Britvic Soft Drinks and the Welsh Hills plant was closed, production being transferred to Bolton, Lancashire. The Corona brand was withdrawn in the late 1990s.