HISTORY

The story of the Nagel Foundation stretches back to September 20, 1895 when 30-year old John Henry Nagel of Baker City, Oregon saw a business opportunity in Boise and purchased the Soda Water Company of Ada County.  The business consisted of the delivery of soda water by horse-drawn wagon to ten area saloons.

John grew Nagel Beverage Company by bottling his own flavored soda waters, along with Squirt and Orange Crush.  In 1935, he acquired the exclusive franchise rights to bottle and sell Pepsi-Cola in Boise and ten counties of southwestern Idaho.  That same year, he gained the same rights to the Twin Falls Idaho territory in a partnership with another family, and continued to add other beverage franchises to his business.  John H. Nagel died in 1940. 

The business torch passed to John’s son, John Fredrick Nagel, who continued to grow his business by adding a new bottling line and relocating the business to 1308 Main Street in downtown Boise.  He married Mildred E. Evans of Mountain Home November 22, 1933 in Walla Walla Washington.  While attending Boise Junior College, Mildred studied to be a registered nurse, but after her marriage to John, she focused her attention to raising two children, Jack and Anne.  John F. Nagel spent most of his waking hours in the beverage business as a hard-working, hands-on owner.  John F. Nagel passed away in 1969.

With large shoes to fill, John’s son Jack Nagel assumed leadership of the now third-generation family business.  Jack understood the need to expand, and purchased property and built a new bottling and distribution facility at 5465 Irving Street in Boise, opening in 1972.  A 1982 addition doubled the size of the warehouse.  Jack Nagel passed away in 1988.

Jack’s mother Mildred and his sister Anne Mathews assumed leadership of the company, and Vance Miller moved into the role of CEO.  It was in 1989 that the idea of a foundation formed to honor the memories of Mildred’s late-husband and son was brought to the forefront, and the John F. Nagel Foundation was born.  In 1991, the foundation made its first grants totaling $34,000 to five charitable organizations. 

New offices and other facilities were added to the 8-acre site in 1994 as the soft drink business experienced unprecedented growth.  Nagel Beverage celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1995 with the community that had given so much to the Nagel family.  Mildred Nagel passed away in 2003.

Continued growth and changing business needs led to the construction of a new manufacturing, sales and distribution facility in Nampa in 2004.  This state-of-the-art facility contained new bottling and canning lines, 250,000 square feet under roof and a new office facility, with plenty of room for expansion on a 35-acre campus. 

Evolving soft drink industry changes led Anne to the decision to sell Nagel Beverage Company in February 2009 to Pepsi Bottling Ventures of Raleigh North Carolina, concluding the 113-year history of the locally-owned family business.  The Nagel Foundation stands as an ongoing tribute to the family and continues to give back to the community that enabled the family to grow and prosper.