Classic Soda, Nostalgia, and the Comfort We’re Craving Right Now
By Jennifer Contraveos, VP of Marketing
Pitchers of root beer. Chicago tavern-style pizza. Family gathered around the table.
When I was growing up in Melrose Park, we used to go to Dora's Pizza Pub on Lake Street all the time.
And, maybe in part because it’s gone now, all those moments feel preserved in sense memory — crystallized as something perfect, untouched by time.
That’s the power of nostalgia. Not the details themselves, but what they bring back: a sense of comfort, of warmth. When I drink a classic soda pop, I feel like I’m getting a hug from my inner child—and I know I’m not the only one.
The nostalgia trend is showing up everywhere—in fashion, music, food, and, naturally, it really makes soda…pop.
Nostalgia is having a moment
When things feel uncertain, we tend to reach for what we already know. Familiar flavors ask less of us. There’s no decoding, no second-guessing — they just fit.
That’s especially true with drinks. A classic soda doesn’t demand attention or explanation. It’s a small, steady moment in the middle of everything else.
But it’s not about going backward. It’s about reconnecting with something that reverberates within us because it’s been with us — sometimes for longer than we even remember. Just like those pitchers of root beer have been for me. (And the best part about memory soda? It never goes flat.)
Classic soda - Easy to love, hard to nail
Nostalgia can look simple from the outside, but executing it well is difficult.
A lot of classic soda brands want to play in this space, and many miss the mark. Sometimes the flavor isn’t right. Other times, they try to change too much, and the comfort disappears. And sometimes they hew too closely to the original, forgetting that they’re not just trying to recreate an object, but an experience. In many cases, it wasn’t even the quality of the soda itself that made it memorable — it was everything around it. And it’s that sense memory we’re quite literally thirsty for.
Think of how some movie remakes or reboots feel like a rehash — re-enacting all the same moments and begging for fan love, but missing the spark that made the original feel special in the first place.
The goal isn’t to reinvent a classic. It’s to respect it. To pay homage. And when it works, you don’t even think about it — you just recognize it.
That’s the tightrope.
Nostalgic THC sodas: Where fizzy meets fuzzy
Adding THC to a classic soda flavor raises the stakes.
THC affects how flavors and sensations show up — especially that earthy bitterness — which means balance becomes critical. Every ingredient has to work with the THC, not compete with it or go so hard that it overpowers everything else.
And when you’re working with flavors we all know and love, there’s very little room for error.
A Cantrip down memory lane
This is where our process matters.
Adam, our CEO, co-founder, and resident mad scientist, develops our flavors. He’s a chemical engineer by training, but the work itself is hands-on and iterative. A lot of it happens in a small home lab — testing, tweaking, ordering ingredients, and sharing samples with the team to get feedback from different palates.
The goal isn’t to make something louder or more complex; it’s to know when something is done. That restraint is what allows familiar flavors to stay familiar, even in a new format.
Cantrip classic sodas that bring you back
If we’re talking about flavors that reliably take people somewhere familiar, two really stand out for me.
Cantrip Grape Soda
A classic grape soda isn’t only about taste — it’s about evoking memories through flavor. The nostalgic burst of purple in every sip. The crisp carbonation. Those details matter because they’re part of what your brain expects.
When they’re in balance, the experience feels complete—and Cantrip Grape Soda nails it.
While our 50mg Grape Soda has been a long-time favorite, not everyone moment calls for a heavy-hitter. Now you can choose the right dose for the moment – 10mg or 50mg – both with the same bold Cantrip Grape Soda flavor.
Cantrip Orange Soda
Our classic orange soda just screams childhood memories. It’s bright, bold, and unmistakable, carrying that nostalgic Orange Crush energy. It’s vivid without being overwhelming, and it continues to be one of our most loved flavors for a reason.
For me, orange instantly brings me back to this hot dog place in Chicago called Gene and Jude’s, where I used to drink their orange fountain sodas as a kid. Those associations bubble up with each sip, making it a special, effervescent experience every time.
The comfort we’re craving
I’m careful not to tell people how they should feel. What I can share is what we hear.
For many people, Cantrip classic soda pop is associated with relaxation — a chance to exhale, slow down, and feel a little more settled. And when you feel more settled, it’s easier to deal with uncertainty.
That’s why nostalgia matters to me. Not as a gimmick, but as a way to offer something familiar, thoughtfully made, with a mind toward bringing a new shade to a classic vibe.
When a soda pop can do that — when it can touch something deeper than your taste buds, something comforting and warm — well, put simply: it’s pretty cool.