Why LaCroix Was Once Illegal In Massachusetts

LaCroix is best known for its sweet flavors and bright cans. The carbonated beverage has actually been around since 1981. It was first invented by Wisconsin's G. Heileman Brewing Company (per Healthyish), but was eventually acquired by Florida-based National Beverage Corporation back in 2002.

LaCroix's cans are hard to miss in the grocery store, and there's a good reason why: It was their main source for marketing back when National Beverage first acquired the brand. The company wanted to put LaCroix on the map, but they had to think of a unique marketing approach. Thus, the marketing team came up with the idea to create a flashy can that would catch buyers' eyes and entice them to try the beverage.

Fast forward to the present day, and LaCroix's campaign has clearly worked. While social media is certainly in the mix nowadays, it's safe to say LaCroix's photogenic cans helped boost its popularity. Still, despite so many people loving it, LaCroix once ran into problems in one U.S. state: It turns out it was once being sold illegally in Massachusetts.

Oddly enough, the popular carbonated beverage could have been pulled from store shelves in Massachusetts — and it's fortunate that it wasn't. 

According to Mental Floss, Massachusetts requires that companies producing carbonated water must submit the water for quality testing and provide the state with the results. Manufacturers are even required to obtain a permit for the production or sale of such beverages. However, when Consumer Reports attempted to pull the records of LaCroix (to learn exactly how the beverage is made), it was discovered that Massachusetts had no records for LaCroix on file.

This means that LaCroix was technically being sold illegally in the state. However, the beverage brand was able to skate by, according to Eater. At the state's request, National Beverage eventually did submit the proper paperwork and apply for the right permits to distribute their tasty drink, saving all Massachusetts LaCroix lovers from having to find a new carbonated beverage.