Former window washer and co-founder of Snapple, Leonard Marsh, has died at the age of 80.
Now a property of The Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. in Plano, Texas, the company confirmed on Thursday that Marsh died in his home in Manhasset, N.Y.
Originally launched as Unadulterated Food Products in 1972 along with his brother-in-law Hyman Golden and his childhood friend Arnold Greenberg, the company was marketed to the growing health-conscious population in New York boasting all natural ingredients.
In 1980, the company was renamed Snapple (a combination of the words "snappy" and "apple") and it became an instant success.
"It's combination of unusual [flavor] combinations of tea and juice, along with quirky advertising, was a hit with consumers. It inspired a number of competitors, particularly soft drink companies took notice of the demand for drinks with natural ingredients," Yahoo! News reported.
In 1987, Snapple's first iced tea line was born, solidifying them as a leader in the "New Age" beverage business.
In 1990's Wendy Kaufman realized how many people were trying to connect with the Snapple brand, so she took the initiative to answer Snapple fan mail because she understood "how terrible" it felt not being answered.
The company loved it and in 1994 the "Snapple Lady" personality was born, everyone taking note of her thick New York accent.
Watch a vintage Snapple commercial with the Snapple Lady here:
According to the company website, "Lemon Tea was the first. The godfather of Snapple teas, But now Snapple produces around 70 flavors of juice drinks and teas, all 'Made from the best stuff on Earth.' You can pick up a bottle of Snapple in every state in the U.S."
Today, the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group markets more than 50 beverage brands throughout North America.
