The Mormon-driven soft drink craze has arrived in Brisbane, with people queueing down the block to try it.
Heard of dirty soda? If so, there’s a good chance Madeline Holthe is responsible.
Holthe was one of the early movers on dirty soda in Australia, and perhaps the very first to sell it commercially on local shores when she launched What’s Poppin’ in 2024.
Originally a stall that would pop up at different markets around Brisbane, Holthe had soon upgraded What’s Poppin’ to a van-based operation. Now, she’s opening her first bricks and mortar outlet on California Lane in Fortitude Valley.
“It’s literally called California Lane, and it’s an American drink,” says the 23-year-old Brisbane entrepreneur, who originally hails from Canada.
But what exactly is a dirty soda?
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Holthe describes it as a soda base spiked with syrups and cream, with fresh fruit and puree sometimes added to elevate it further.
Originating in Utah’s Mormon community around 2010, dirty soda was created as an alternative to alcoholic drinks and coffee. In more recent years, it’s been popularised by Hulu reality show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
Holthe had watched the trend take off stateside and was eager to replicate it in Australia. Her initial creation is now one of What’s Poppin’s signature menu items, “Sodies”, combining Coke Zero (or regular Coke), fresh lime, coconut and coconut cream.
“I was obsessed with it, I had it every single day and I thought Australia needs this,” Holthe says.
Holthe unveiled her What’s Poppin’ on California Lane on Saturday, May 16, opening in the premises previously occupied by Pressi Juice.
The storefront has the same retro feel as her food truck, with pink splash walls and neon signs. Holthe designed the store herself.
On the menu are 30 signature items categorised by soda bases that include Coke or Coke Zero, Mountain Dew, Sprite, sparkling water and energy drinks such as Monster. Customers also have the option to personalise their soda with lavender syrup, pineapple purée and blackberry.
What’s Poppin’ also sells a variety of cookies with flavours such as Nutella and Biscoff. Holthe soon intends to serve grab-and-go items like toasties alongside the sodas.
“I think the trend right now is [to be] customisable,” Holthe says. “You see it in YoChi … adults can feel like kids again. It’s like the adult version of going to the lolly shop.”
Holthe says that while Australia was a late adopter, she’s recently noticed an influx of spots offering dirty soda since she created What’s Poppin’. In Melbourne and Sydney there’s So Dirty and FiZLD, respectively.
McDonald’s is currently trialling a range of iced drinks including dirty sodas in Queensland and Victorian stores. Competitor Hungry Jacks has also jumped on the trend in recent months with drinks such as a dirty cola that combines Coca-Cola, coffee-style creamer and coconut syrup.
“I won’t lie, the first few months were really tough,” Holthe says. “I feel like Australia is always just 10 years behind, people are set in their ways. But once people try something new they’re obsessed with it.”
Open 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat-Sun
22 McLachlan Street, Shop 1 California Lane, Fortitude Valley
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
