Small-town Dublin Dr Pepper claims its big corporate parent is trying to drive it out of business.
Locals in the Texas town located about 120 miles outside Dallas, are rallying behind the Dublin brand with a music video and the Facebook page "I Support Dublin Dr Pepper."
Earlier this summer, Plano-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. sued the Dublin-based distributor for unauthorized use of its logo and for selling the sugar-based soda outside an agreed-upon territory.
Dublin Dr Pepper, the smallest and oldest distributor of the soft drink, fired back Wednesday in a lawsuit, saying in part, "Dr Pepper-Snapple has turned its back on Dublin and the goodwill among the thousands of people who love this true Texas treasure that comes in an 8-ounce bottle."
The lawsuit cites several Dr Pepper executives who've praised Dublin for its recipe, which uses pure cane sugar rather than high fructose corn syrup.
Larry Young, president of Dr Pepper Snapple, said in a 2009 interview with KERA-TV that, "The amazing thing with Dublin is they still have the pure cane sugar. It's the original formula with Imperial sugar, and their following is unbelievable. Nothing tastes better when it's ice-cold."
The Dr Pepper parent company claims it is not trying to put Dublin out of business.
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With more than 4,000 Facebook fans, and its own music video, it seems family-owned Dublin is not going down without a fight.
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