Rhode Island soda company makes Clinton, Trump soda pop

NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — This year's presidential political cycle is contentious, to say the least. The back and forth is everywhere, and unavoidable.

So, a Rhode Island soda company is cashing-in on the controversy. They’re based in “Centerdale,” of all places.

Rhode Island has always leaned a little to the left --alright, a lot -- but in this particular section of North Providence, the family-owned, 5 generation Yacht Club Bottling Works is playing it right down the middle, pitting Hillary Clinton's blue raspberry Liberal Limeade up against Donald Trump's strawberry peach Populist Punch, for its "Soda Pop Poll.”

John Sgambato now runs Yacht Club Bottle Works.

“Me and my wife were watching the debates, and it just popped in my head,” Sgambato said.

They're keeping track of how many bottles of each go out the door, admittedly not a scientific poll, as a way to gauge voter's tastes.

With a wink, Sgambato talked of how they concocted the flavors.

“They have a slight acidity to them, so they have a bite,” he said. “They meet the candidates, they have a little edge to them.”

Local Mom and Pop soda companies have been making a comeback over the past decade -- pure water, family recipe, no high fructose corn syrup, caffeine free -- and a sugar-free flavored seltzer line, too. In all, at the Yacht Club facility, they're selling 24,000 bottles of 2 dozen different kinds of soda per week.

Just the other day, even after closing time, a customer knocked on the door. Former head of the company, now retired (meaning he only works 10 hours a day now) Bill Sgambato opened the door.

“I said, 'I'll do business with ya.’” Bill said. “And he said, 'I want two cases of Hillary and two cases of Trump.’ And I said 'fine.’”

So far, orders for Yacht Club Soda have only gone as far west as Oklahoma, but with this Hillary and Donald thing going on, for the first time ever, four palettes are going out to California.

“We'll stay here all day and night if we have to,” Sgambato said of putting in the extra hours to fill the order.

As word spreads across the nation, the four family employees say they can double their output to meet the demand.

Sales figures of the Hillary and Donald sodas are expected to be released by Election Day.

Michael Sgambato said, so far, sales have been “right down the middle.”

Maybe it's a secret way those who are buying the cases to find out who their friends are voting for, so they'll know who not to invite to the party next time.

It's a fun way to take the edge off the polarizing political season. But keep in mind, the bottles do break!

A Connecticut soda company also recently concocted a beverage recipe for Hillary Hooch and Trump Tonic.