Summit County soda company keeps local connections
BY Rose Todd Akron
PUBLISHED 5:00 AM ET Aug. 07, 2025
AKRON, Ohio — When it comes to shopping local, a northeast Ohio soda company gives a nostalgic feeling to anyone who grabs one of their bottles.
What You Need To Know
The Summit County soda was founded in 1924 by Jacob Paquin
The Norka Beverage Company went dormant in 1962
The first retail partner for Norka was The Peanut Shop in downtown Akron
“Norka is probably Akron’s best kept secret,” said Michael Considine, the owner of The Norka Beverage Company.
Norka is celebrating 101 years. The Summit County soda was founded in 1924 by Jacob Paquin. The original flavors were root beer, cherry strawberry, ginger ale, orange and cream soda.
“It was during prohibition so didn’t have alcohol and he started Norka, Akron spelled backwards,” said Considine.
Michael Considine is the owner of The Norka Beverage Company. The Akron native grew up around Norka and even has family ties to it.
The company went dormant in 1962, but Considine jumped at the opportunity to buy it back in 2014.
“I am the grandson of Jean Considine, and Jean Considine was best friends with Olive Paquin, which was Jacob Paquin only daughter,” said Considine. “I saw Norka as an opportunity to bring something back from my hometown.”
Once Considine revived the soda, he was looking for places to sell it. His first retail partner was The Peanut Shop in downtown Akron, another local staple.
“I was very happy to have the Norka in here, because I knew it was something that was coming back to Akron, and it was originally made here,” said Marge Klein, is the owner of The Peanut Shop. “Once that people found out that we had it then it would be a draw to come to this peanut shop.”
Klein said when Norka came back customers were thrilled to see the local soda available again. Generations of Akronites sharing not only peanuts but also able to wash them down with their favorite beverage.
“I think it’s really good that we’re able to you know collaborate with Norka because it is a company from the past, and a lot of the companies are gone now and have had to close,” said Klein. “We’re very thankful that The Peanut Shop and Norka are in business together and that’s going to keep us both going I hope for a very long time.”
With partners like Klein and customers who remember their first Norka pop decades ago. Considine believes in the connection Norka brings to Akron and says staying local will be the gift that keeps Akronites coming back and those who are not from here stopping by to taste a little bit of history.
“Many people have pride in our local soda. So, when they travel, whether they see friends or family outside of the state, Norka often times is a gift they’ll take with them,” said Considine.
Norka is sold throughout Summit County, California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah and West Virgina.
Cream soda is the only flavor from the originals not available, and they recently added spring water.