Despite having only about 1.5% of Canada’s population, Newfoundland and Labrador has a surprisingly large amount of exclusive food and drink items. Appreciated by Newfoundlanders for decades, the Crush soda brand offers Newfoundland soft drink flavours that aren’t available elsewhere in the country.
Why? This phenomenon may have some connection to a large portion of Newfoundlanders being loyal to Pepsi, the distributor of Crush in Canada. One internet post suggests that the preference stems from a union dispute in the 1980s that caused Coca-Cola to lay off its production staff in St. John’s. Eventually the plant closed altogether, leaving Pepsi as the only soft drink distributor in Newfoundland.
Some of these flavours can be found in various specialty stores in Canada, especially in areas with large populations of Newfoundlanders. Some are found in certain US regions, and it’s possible to order most online too. As far as readily available, retail distribution in Canada goes, these are only-in-Newfoundland soft drinks.
Crush Pineapple
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Crush Pineapple is perhaps the favourite of Newfoundland soft drink lovers. It’s popularity here is well-documented, and it’s the top-selling item at St. John’s International Airport. Crush’s national website did have pineapple listed as a limited-time summer flavour for 2019 across Canada, but that has since ended. So once again, Crush Pineapple is available only in Newfoundland. It’s in 355ml cans, and both 591ml and 2L bottles.
Check out Crush Pineapple on our eBay store in 24-packs and 12-packs.
Crush Lime
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Along with Orange and Pineapple, Crush Lime was one of the first three Crush flavours sold in Newfoundland. That means it’s been around for about 50 years! You can get it in 355ml cans, and both 591ml and 2L bottles.
Check out Crush Lime on our eBay store in 24-packs and 12-packs.
Crush Clear Cream Soda
Crush Cream Soda is available pink across the nation, but here, it’s clear. We cheated a bit with this entry, because Quebec usually has the clear version, too. It’s available in 355ml cans, and both 591ml and 2L bottles.
Crush Diet Cream Soda
The only diet Crush offering in the rest of Canada is Orange, but here, you can get diet Cream Soda. Unlike the regular Crush Cream Soda in Newfoundland, the diet version is pink. It used to be available in cans too, but it’s only in 2L bottles now.
Crush Birch Beer
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Other flavours may have been available elsewhere throughout history, especially in other countries, but Crush Birch Beer has only ever lived in Newfoundland. Available in 355ml cans, and more recently 591ml bottles, this is one that most Newfoundlanders certainly take pride in and know is exclusive to their home. It tastes very similar to root beer, but is actually pink. We also created Newfoundland’s very own cocktail with it!
Check out Crush Birch Beer on our eBay store in 24-packs and 12-packs.
Crush Blue Raspberry
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Crush Blue Raspberry seemed to be short-lived. It was available in 591ml bottles in Newfoundland, then got the limited-time treatment nationwide. In November 2019 it seemed that Crush Blue Raspberry was being phased out, and was no longer available as of 2020.
Which one is your favourite? Have you ever seen these elsewhere in Canada?