As summer rolls around, I’m daydreaming about cooling off with a refreshing Boost! slushy in New Jersey. No, not Boost the nutritional protein shake for seniors, which lacks Boost!’s signature exclamation point.
I’m talking about Boost! the cola-like soft drink that has only been sold in and around Burlington County, NJ for over a century.
Growing up in Burlington County, I always saw “Come Inside, Boost! Is Here!” lawn signs stuck outside of various restaurants and gas stations, but I never thought twice about them. My parents were not Boost! fans and it was not in our summer treat repertoire (fruity soft serve ice cream at Conte’s Farm was the star of that show).
On a hot Saturday last summer, on the way to cool off at the Jersey Shore, I stopped at the Shamong Diner and finally decided to learn more about the local drink of my home county. I fully did not expect to like it—from what I’d read, Boost! was basically a flat, non-carbonated version of cola (ew). As someone who doesn’t like Pepsi or Coca-Cola—in soda or slushy form—I ordered a Boost! slushy that day more out of curiosity than actually thinking it’d be part of my meal.
Well I’ll be damned, I loved that Boost! slushy. Did it taste sort of like a cola slushy? Yes. But, it was somehow just better and had more of a lemony citrus flavor than regular cola. You bet I slurped that entire extra large slushy down without a second thought.
Boost! was created in 1910 by a pharmacist and was originally known as Tak-Aboost (and later Drink Atoast). It was a concentrated syrup that could be mixed into water, seltzer water, or milkshakes. Luckily, modern technology has allowed us to add frozen slushies to the list of how Boost! syrup can be prepared.
Tak-Aboost was originally marketed as a health drink capable of boosting athletes with “endurance and last minute strength” and was later shipped overseas to military personnel in World War II.
We’re talking about syrup here. The concept kind of reminds me of the sugary goo packets that long distance runners consume these days. Maybe those 20th century marketers were onto something. Then again, rumor has it that Boost! has far higher levels of caffeine than coffee and other sodas, so perhaps that was the root cause of the purported energy benefits.
After various names and forms, Boost! remains a South Jersey staple to this day. It’s still a family-owned business and still can only be found in the greater Burlington County area (with sparse appearances in surrounding counties such as Ocean, Atlantic, Camden, and Philadelphia).
So, the next time you’re in South Jersey—whether you live there or are just driving through on the Turnpike—think about pulling over when you see the iconic Boost! lawn sign and treat yourself to, what may be, the rarest slushy of all.
p.s. If you don’t have summer plans in NJ, The Boost Company’s Facebook page says that you can call their office at 856-461-1000 to order Boost! to be shipped anywhere in the world. Let me know if you try it!
Bonus drink: I may not have any Boost! on me at the moment, but I’m currently sipping on a Lindera Farms Shenandoah Cola drinking vinegar concoction. The vinegar is made with foraged ingredients from the Shenandoah Valley—including pinecones, spicebush, juniper, and magnolia, to name a few—and, when mixed with seltzer, is a delightful NA spritz.
