Company celebrates milestone with Free Root Beer Day on July 22nd

VANCOUVER, July 5, 2017 /CNW/ - A&W Canada is now serving up frosty mugs of root beer made with natural cane sugar and all-natural flavours such as sarsaparilla root, licorice, birch bark, and anise. The company has been on a relentless journey to source natural ingredients and the launch of A&W Root Beer® crafted with natural ingredients marks a significant milestone.

"Our customers told us that they want food and drink made with natural ingredients and we're taking big steps to make it happen," said A&W Canada's Senior Director of Marketing and Brand Communications, Tom Newitt. "We're proud to introduce A&W Root Beer crafted with natural cane sugar and all-natural flavours which is another first for fast food in Canada."

Canadians can find the beverage in restaurants as of July 10, 2017. It will also be available in the craft soda aisles of grocery stores in new 4-pack glass bottles. On Saturday July 22, 2017, all restaurants across the country will be celebrating Free Root Beer Day. Customers will be served free A&W Root Beer from open to close that day.

About A&W Canada's Root Beer made with natural ingredients:

• Natural Cane Sugar: harvested from the sugar cane plant and identified by its caramel colour, natural cane sugar provides a fruity sweetness and floral aroma.
• Sarsaparilla Root: sarsaparilla is a plant with long vines and edible roots that lends distinct notes of vanilla, caramel and wintergreen.
• Birch Bark: light, fresh yet complex, birch bark brings a subtle earthiness to the smooth, delicious taste offering an almost delicate minty flavour.
• Licorice: natural licorice creates a richness of flavour in every sip with slightly bitter, sweet and spicy undertones.
• Anise: an aromatic spice delivering pleasant characteristics of fennel and tarragon, anise has been enjoyed as far back as ancient Egypt.

About A&W:
A&W believes that sourcing simple, great-tasting ingredients, farmed with care is the right thing to do, and has been at the forefront of the natural ingredient movement since the launch of its Ingredient Guarantees in 2013. It was the first national quick service burger restaurant in Canada to serve beef raised without the use of  hormones or steroids in 2013; chicken raised without the use of antibiotics and eggs from hens fed a vegetarian diet without animal by-products in 2014; organic, Fairtrade coffee in 2015; and pork raised without the use of antibiotics in 2016.

A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. is 100 per cent Canadian owned and is one of the strongest brand names in the Canadian foodservice industry. A&W is the nation's second largest hamburger restaurant company with more than 890 locations coast-to-coast. For more information, please visit aw.ca.

SOURCE A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.