Royal Cola (France)

Introduced in 1999 by Philippe Bailly from Épinal, Royal Cola was a small Vosges-based attempt to establish a naturally flavored cola on the French market. Bailly handled production, promotion and distribution himself, and the brand gained early attention. Sales rose from about 130 000 bottles in 2000 to roughly 200 000 in 2005, supported by new variants such as strawberry, red fruits, pear and lime.

The company expanded modestly, but competition from hard-discount chains increased, and a switch to a new bottler for PET production led to manufacturing defects. The resulting legal dispute pushed the firm into bankruptcy and eventual liquidation after about seven years in operation.

Royal Cola did not reappear after the collapse. Bailly later left the beverage sector entirely and continued his career in other industries.