Story: Tea, coffee and soft drinks

Mineral water was first bottled at Te Aroha in 1886, and the rural service town soon became well-known for its hot springs and mineral water. Mineral water was believed to possess health-giving properties, hinted at by the word 'tonic' in this poster, probably from the 1950s. In the 2000s Te Aroha's mineral water was off the menu – it was neither bottled nor available by the glass.