chap12l

Chapter 12l The Small Bottlers Wonder Beverage Co., Flores Brothers Bottling Co., and Their Bottles

Wonder Beverage Co. (1946-1954) and Flores Brothers Bottling Co. (1950-1954)
Although the Wonder Beverage Company was in business for at least eight years, little is known about it. Unlike most of the small bottlers, Wonder had only one owner/operator, Luis A. Flores. Flores had been a driver for Empire Products Corporation in 1941 and 1942 prior to accepting a job as head meat cutter at Safeway. Like many young men in the early stages of World War II, he became part of the Army in 1944 and served for two years. Upon his return, he must have remembered his time with Empire and decided to become a bottler ( EPCD 1941- 1946).

The initial 1946 location was 3321 Alameda Ave, but the plant moved to 115 North Raynor St. in 1952 and remained there until 1954. During the years 1950, 1952, and 1954, the company was also registered as Flores Brothers Bottling Company, although only Luis A. Flores was listed as proprietor (EPCD 1947-1954; EPTD 1946, 1950). Sodas were bottled under the brand name of Flores Bros and advertised on the bottles as "The Yummy Best in the Sunny West."

Bottles

Wonder Beverage Company/Flores Bros. Bottling Co.
Wonder Flavors
Franchised bottles from Wonder Orange Company did not denote local bottlers, only the main company address.

SM 10
Method of Manufacture: Machine
Color: Colorless
Size (in cm.): 25.0 (h); 5.6 (d)
Primary Labeling Style: White and Red ACL
Finish: Crown
Capacity: oz.
Overall Bottle Design: Cylindrical with two small embossed rings above the heel, two rings interspersed with vertical ribs to form a segmented band at the upper body, and three rings with similar vertical ribs to form a more complex band at the neck/shoulder
Front Description
Shoulder: White ACL - WONDER
Body: A white background with WONDER/BEVERAGES in red followed by CONTENTS 7 FLUID OUNCES stenciled to allow the colorless background to show through and a red scroll with WHOLESOME AND/REFRESHING below
Back Description
Shoulder: Bare
Body: White ACL - Bottled/under Authority (script) followed by WONDER/DeLuxe (script)/BEVERAGES within a circle, then WONDER ORANGE CO/Chicago, Ill (script) in horizontal letters
Base: Embossed - T-in-a-keystone
Manufacturer: Unknown
Dating: [1946-1954] Wonder Beverage Company was in business in El Paso from 1946 to 1954, providing probable dates for this bottle.
Collection(s): Mike Morrison Collection.

Mike Morrison

Flores Bros. Flavors
Although the firm was originally known as Wonder Beverage Company, at least one type of bottle was manufactured under the label of Flores Bros.

SM 11
Method of Manufacture: Machine
Color: Colorless
Size (in cm.): 23.6 (h); 6.1 (d)
Primary Labeling Style: Red and White ACL
Finish: Crown
Capacity: 10 oz.
Overall Bottle Design: Cylindrical with four slightly-separated concentric rings at the shoulder and tiny raised stippling on the entire surface except for the finish and labeling area of the body
Front Description
Body: A red ACL rose with white highlights on a white background with red enameled horizontal panels above and below with, FLORES BROS, in the top panel and BEVERAGES on the bottom one
Back Description
Body: White ACL - "THE YUMMY BEST/IN/THE SUNNY WEST" followed by a flower, then CONTENTS 10 OZS/FLORES BROS BOTTLING CO/EL PASO, TEXAS
Base: Embossed - 2 [B-in-a-circle] 50/m-88
Manufacturer: Brockway Glass Company (1925-present)
Dating: [1950-1954] Flores Bros. were listed in the City Directories from 1950 to 1954.
Collection(s): Mike Morrison Collection; author's collection.

Table of Contents
Chapter 12m - Jones & Pfafflin Mfg. Co.