Toasts to A&W Root Beer^® made with natural ingredients 

VANCOUVER, July 17, 2017 /CNW/ - On Saturday July 22, 2017, every A&W restaurant in Canada will be pouring free frosted mugs of root beer from open to close. A&W Canada is looking to celebrate its roots, and are asking Canadians to raise a glass to the iconic beverage that day.

"Root beer has a long history in Canada and A&W Root Beer has been a family tradition for decades," said A&W Canada's Senior Director of Marketing and Brand Communications, Tom Newitt. "On Free Root Beer Day we will be celebrating this, and our pioneering efforts to source simple, natural ingredients for the beverage."

A&W has been on a relentless journey to source natural ingredients for all its menu options. The launch of A&W Root Beer crafted with natural ingredients earlier this month marked a significant milestone. A&W Root Beer is now made with natural cane sugar and natural flavours like sarsaparilla root, licorice, birch bark, and anise.

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 chain with more than 890 locations coast-to-coast. For more information, please visit aw.ca.

SOURCE A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.