Chero-Cola Co. and vehicles advertising Nehi flavored soft drink at 1300 W. Franklin St. It advertises, Drink Nehi. This bottling plant no longer exists. Nehi is a flavored soft drink that originated in the United States. It was introduced in 1924 by Chero-Cola/Union Bottle Works. The Nehi Corporation name was adopted in 1928 after the Nehi fruit-flavored sodas became popular. In 1955, the company changed its name to Royal Crown Company, after the success of its RC Cola brand. It was founded by Claud A. Hatcher, a Columbus, Georgia grocer, who began bottling ginger ale and root beer in 1905. In April 2008, Nehi became a brand of Dr Pepper Snapple Group in the United States.