History of Trend Drinks

Trend drinks history extends back as far as the 1870's at the corner of Sixth and Cross Street, with the initial ownership by Thomas Jones Monro, trading as 'Monro and Co.' (1876-1880). Charles J. Hamilton formed a partnership with Monroe in 1876 till 1879. Hamilton continued manufacturing aerated waters and cordials with W. Hamilton till 1890 following T.J.Monroes death in 1879.

It appears that between 1890-1911 no cordial or aerated water manufacture was conducted on the Monroe site. In 1911 H.J. Wilson commenced manufacturing at the former Monroe and Co site, naming his new business "Gladstone, Laura and Georgetown mineral water Company", using a "star" on his bottles as the trademark.

In 1914 the business was purchased by Frederick Charles Grubb, (1880-1958) trading under his own name. Although he studied as a marine engineer, he took an interest in the soft drink industry in 1906 working for George Hall (Hall and Sons, Norwood) before shifting to Renmark, where he joined J. Hisgrove, operating as Hisgrove & Grubb, and later moving to Gladstone, purchasing the business from H.J.Wilson.

He became Gladstone's Mayor in 1916-1917 and 1932-1933. He died on the 30th January 1958. The business was carried on by his daughter Eula and son in law Laurence Zerbe, and then their son, Garth (and later, with his wife, Sandra.)

In 1965 Garth Zerbe changed the trading name to "Trend Drinks" to fit in with the times. 

The addition of ice manufacture in the mid 70's saw the business developing on two fronts, eventually to a point where the ice business physically out grew the building, and needed to be relocated, and thus "Trend" became two separate entities, Ice and Drink manufacture. Laurence and Eula retired in the late 1980's and eventually sold their share of the business to coincide with the restructure in 1991. Their share was purchased by Damian Casey, the production manager at the time.

Garth and Sandra relocated to Port Pirie at this time to establish and run the ice business, trading as Trend Ice, and eventually sold their remaining interest in the drinks in March of 2002. This bought to an end a span of three generations involvement in the soft drink industry. Their half of the business was taken up by "AMORE SYRUPS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD "

With this restructure of business ownership came the decision to revert to the former trading name of F.C.Grubb, and "re-brand" the product accordingly.

In 2015 Beechworth Honey acquired Trend Drinks and relocated manufacturing to Corowa in New South Wales but continues to make old style soft drinks under the F.C.Grubb label.