03/30/2026
At Corti Brothers in East Sacramento, bottles of Root Beer sit chilling near the deli counter. The name on the label is a nod to Sacramento and the waterways that it’s known for.
Janet and Bob Lake created and own the root beer brand, and for them, it’s personal. Their brand reflects the city where they put down roots and built out their business. The couple got their start in the beverage distribution industry in Sacramento in 1999.
After about a decade in that business, the Lakes decided they wanted to take a shot at creating something of their own. They began developing what would eventually become River City Root Beer.
The Lakes say their focus will remain on glass-bottled sodas, which they say are key to its flavor and keep it more old-fashioned.
“We could go to cans and it would become a lot cheaper,” Bob said. “But do you think that product in a can would be just as good as it is in the bottle?”
Today, the brand includes four flavors: classic root beer, ginger beer, orange cream and blueberry lemonade.
For Janet, the most meaningful moments happen when someone walks up to her and shares a story of drinking the soda.
“We’ve discovered actually, we’ve been around long enough that people go, ‘I started drinking that when I was a kid,’” Janet said.
✍️ & 📷 By Tony Rodriguez
