Our Story
The story of Jolly's
First blended in 1896, Jolly’s is Cornwall’s original soft drinks company.
From humble beginnings, one hot summer in 1896, John Jolly created a thriving soft drinks company. Growing from a small garden operation in the village of Carharrack, Cornwall, to our new large factory in Saltash, this much-loved family business has been in the hearts and minds of the Cornish people for over a hundred years.
We are ever keen to know and learn more about the past and are always excited when we find a little bit of history in the Cornish Archives.
However nothing beats the stories we hear from Mr Jolly who’s been mixing up drinks with his family since he was 10 years old – and who still visits the factory today to see how new technology is improving the way we do things now
Jolly’s remains in the hearts of many people in Cornwall as it evokes fond childhood memories of summer days, and special events such of The St Day Feast when in the early 1970s, Jolly’s Mineral Waters donated a bottle of pop for every child! A real delight for any child in the 70s. Many of our customers still share stories about the Jolly’s van visiting every week with a soft drink treat.
Bringing us back to today …. have you ever spotted the bird on all our cans? If you have already guessed, then yes, it is a Wild Chough. In 2001, wild choughs were sighted at Lizard Point for the first time in over 50 years. And just like the chough, Jolly’s Drinks has seen a recent revival and is happy to be home in Cornwall again!
Jolly’s would not be the brand it is today without our Cornish heritage and loyal Cornish customers. We created Jolly’s for everyone to drink. Whether you want a drink you can enjoy with friends at a party or environmentally friendly packed water after a day at the coast, there is a drink in our range for the whole family.
We strive to create delicious-tasting soft drinks that never lack flavour. Every time you sip your favourite Jolly’s, allow us to take you back to your happiest memories of Cornwall watching the sunset on your favourite beach.
(Pictured here is our MD Cheryl, scolling through the archives! On this visit we found some really fun and interesting bottling labels from the 80s.)
MADE WITH CORNISH SPRING WATER
NO HIDDEN NASTIES
MADE IN CORNWALL
THIRST QUENCHING GOODNESS
Sustainability
At Jolly’s, we believe that you can create the best soft drinks whilst being considerate of the environment. Our passion for the environment sparked our movement to become more sustainable.
Although we do not claim to be perfect, we are on a journey to improve the impact Jolly’s makes.
Why did we choose cans?
In 2019 when Jolly’s was reborn, we knew that filling into aluminium cans was the right choice for us. Firstly, the quality of our product is fundamental; we want our customers to experience our drinks and appreciate the love and care we put into our products, drinking them at their best. Cans limit light and oxygen, keeping the product fresher and full of delicious flavour longer.
Because cans are lighter and more compact, it also takes less fuel during transportation. Cans chill 5x faster in a fridge, therefore, using less energy. Did you know that aluminium cans are one of the most recycled and reused materials? After hearing all the fantastic sustainable facts about aluminium cans, we knew they were perfect for us.
Join our movement to banish single-use plastics and make sure you recycle your can.
How about your outer packaging?
We pack our cans into fully encased cardboard boxes with no plastic in sight! Not only is our packaging great for the environment, but also super functional. Simply tear off the top of your box to create a perfect fridge-ready pack ready to chill for those summer BBQs or a fun family night in.
Ingredient sourcing
We are passionate about only using the best ingredients in our drinks. Where possible, we try to source our ingredients on as much of a local level as possible. Our chillis in our Ginger Beer are from the fantastic Cornish Chilli Company. All of our drinks are made using the finest Cornish Spring Water, which comes from our own source at our HQ. As well as sourcing our ingredients sustainably and constantly seeking fairer alternatives, we are proud to say we produce and manufacture all our drinks in-house. This allows us to keep our footprint low by avoiding adding a third-party canning partner.
Positive community impact
We always try to support our local community, whether we support fundraising events with stock for raffles or educate the community about the importance of supporting local businesses. The team at Jolly’s are very passionate and always brainstorming ideas to help create a positive impact on our community and support people in need.
