Photo by Denny Culbert
Swamp Pop may have started as a goofy pun, but now cousins Collin Cormier (left) and John Petersen (right) are bottling and selling sodas to the region. The flavors-unique, tasty, and local-are no joke.
A little over a year ago, cousins John Petersen and Collin Cormier never thought they would be creating a line of sodas that incorporated the flavors of Louisiana. Even though the two were not strangers to the entrepreneurial spirit, they were very busy juggling their other ventures. Petersen founded and owns Lafayette's Genterie Supply Company, a lifestyle store for men; and Cormier is the culinary force behind one of Acadiana's favorite food trucks, Viva la Waffle.
“It all started with the name,” said Petersen. One day while surfing Facebook, a piece of digital art caught Cormier's eye. A drawing of a glass bottle with the caption “Drink Swamp Pop” made him laugh. He liked the double entendre. He called Petersen and asked if anyone was making soda with the name Swamp Pop. No one was. “But then we really started thinking about the sugar cane industry and our childhoods. There was so much to pull from our upbringing,” he said. “We decided we would give it a try.”
Their first attempts at success were somewhat comical. “The flavor development process started with a few rudimentary ideas, a soda stream machine, and a jar of fig preserves in Collin's kitchen,” said Peterson. After cleaning up a few messes, they realized they couldn't do it themselves and decided to partner with a flavor development lab. The result was a carefully crafted line of sodas that drew from ingredients found on their grandfather's farm. “We used only natural colors and flavors as well as pure Louisiana cane syrup. Then we added figs, pecans, and satsumas,” said Petersen. “We wanted a product with a heritage aesthetic.”
The next step was a nationwide search for a bottler who would agree to package their concoctions in nostalgic glass bottles with pry-off crowns and to use all natural ingredients and cane sugar shipped from Louisiana. Their search ended in Pennsylvania when they found a contract packer that shared the same values as Petersen and Cormier. The four inaugural flavors of Swamp Pop-Noble Cane Soda, Praline Cream Soda, Sastsuma Fizz, and Jean Lafitte Ginger Ale-hit the shelves of grocery stores in South Louisiana in September.
Their flagship drink, Noble Cane Cola, was the hardest flavor profile to refine. “We knew we wanted a product that showcased figs,” Petersen said, “but there are just so many varieties of figs. Nothing felt right.” They finally hit the jackpot when they sent a bottle of their grandmother's figs to the development lab for analysis and paired the result with an old-fashioned cola recipe.
Right now their most popular flavor is Praline Cream Soda. Cormier and Petersen created the beverage by taking a traditional cream soda and adding brown sugar, butter, and pecan flavors to create a rich, creamy, candy-like drink. “We are really proud of our Louisiana cane sugar and our local flavors we remember from growing up,” Petersen said.
Two crisp and light summer drinks round out their portfolio. Satsuma Fizz is a love letter to the iconic Louisiana fruit harvested in the winter. Slightly aromatic with a refreshing blend of citrus and sweetness, it is best served ice cold on a hot day. Last, but not least, the Jean Lafitte Ginger Ale combines spicy ginger and cucumbers to create a vibrant, flavorful drink that can be served alone, but easily mixes with a neutral spirit like vodka or gin for a light-but exciting-hot weather cocktail. All of the flavors make sophisticated, fun mixers; and Petersen and Cormier are working to pull together a creative cocktail guide for making drinks that showcase Swamp Pop paired with locally made spirits.
Swamp Pop can now be found in South Louisiana at Rouse's and major independent grocers such as Calandro's and Bet-R, as well as in Petersen's clothing store Genterie and aboard Cormier's Viva la Waffle truck. The soda is also available for purchase on the Swamp Pop website.
Details. Details. Details. drinkswamppop.com Cocktail recipes: Swamp Pop Old-Fashioned Louisiana Bulldog
