Geo. Hall & Sons, better known as Hall's soft drinks, were a soft drink manufacturer in Adelaide, South Australia. Although they produced a wide range of soft drinks, they were best known for their Passiona and their "Stonie" (non-alcoholic) ginger beer.
Amongst the oldest aerated water manufacturers in South Australia, the company was founded in 1849 by George Hall (1818-1881), an Irish immigrant, to produce soda water at Marryatville, South Australia.[1] They moved to larger premises on the corner of Edward Street and the Norwood Parade in 1851.[2] By 1970, Hall & Sons produced 30,000 bottles an hour. The site is now used by the State Library of South Australia as their warehouse and archives.
Their major competitor was W Woodroofe & Son, (also in Norwood), and both were acquired by Cadbury Fry Schweppes and production moved to the Schweppes factory in Payneham, South Australia. Schweppes Australia was acquired by Asahi in 2009.
"Stonie" (non-alcoholic) ginger beer gained its name due to being sold in "stone" (pottery) bottles.[3]