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Coca-Cola

Type Cola

Manufacturer The Coca-Cola Company

Country oforigin

United States

Introduced 1886

Color Caramel E-150d

Flavor Cola, Cola Cherry, Cola Vanilla,Cola Green Tea, Cola Lemon, ColaLemon Lime, Cola Lime, ColaOrange and Cola Raspberry.

Variants See Brand portfolio section below

Relatedproducts

PepsiPostobónRC ColaCola TurkaKola RealInca KolaZam Zam ColaMecca-ColaVirgin ColaParsi ColaQibla ColaEvoca ColaCorsica ColaBreizh ColaAfri Cola

Website www.coca-cola.com(http://www.coca-cola.com)

Coca-ColaFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores,restaurants, and vending machines throughout theworld.[1] It is produced by The Coca-Cola Companyof Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply asCoke (a registered trademark of The Coca-ColaCompany in the United States since March 27, 1944).Originally intended as a patent medicine when it wasinvented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton,Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman AsaGriggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke toits dominance of the world soft-drink marketthroughout the 20th century.

The company produces concentrate, which is thensold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout theworld. The bottlers, who hold territorially exclusivecontracts with the company, produce finished productin cans and bottles from the concentrate incombination with filtered water and sweeteners. Thebottlers then sell, distribute and merchandise Coca-Cola to retail stores and vending machines. The Coca-Cola Company also sells concentrate for sodafountains to major restaurants and food servicedistributors.

The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introducedother cola drinks under the Coke brand name. Themost common of these is Diet Coke, with othersincluding Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet CokeCaffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero,Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special versions with lemon,lime or coffee. In 2013, Coke products could be foundin over 200 countries worldwide, with consumersdowning more than 1.8 billion company beverageservings each day.[2]

Based on Interbrand's best global brand study of 2011,Coca-Cola was the world's most valuable brand.[3]

Contents

1 History1.1 19th century historical origins

1.1.1 The Coca-Cola Company

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John Pemberton, the inventor ofCoca-Cola

1.2 Origins of bottling1.3 20th century1.4 New Coke1.5 21st century

2 Production2.1 Ingredients2.2 Formula of natural flavorings2.3 Use of stimulants in formula

2.3.1 Coca – cocaine2.3.2 Kola nuts – caffeine

2.4 Franchised production model3 Geographic spread4 Brand portfolio

4.1 Logo design4.2 Contour bottle design4.3 Types4.4 Designer bottles

5 Competitors6 Advertising

6.1 Holiday campaigns6.2 Sports sponsorship6.3 In mass media

7 Criticism7.1 Health effects7.2 Allergy

8 Use as political and corporate symbol9 Social causes10 See also11 References12 Further reading

12.1 Primary sources13 External links

History

19th century historical origins

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Eagle Drug and Chemical House,Columbus, Georgia

Believed to be the first coupon ever,this ticket for a free glass of Coca-Cola was first distributed in 1888 tohelp promote the drink. By 1913, thecompany had redeemed 8.5 milliontickets.[4]

This Coca-Cola advertisement from1943 is still displayed in the smallcity of Minden, Louisiana.

Colonel John Pemberton was wounded in the Civil War, became addicted to morphine, and began aquest to find a substitute for the dangerous opiate.[5] The prototype Coca-Cola recipe was formulated atPemberton's Eagle Drug and Chemical House,[6] a drugstore inColumbus, Georgia, originally as a coca wine.[7][8] He may havebeen inspired by the formidable success of Vin Mariani, aEuropean coca wine.[9]

In 1885, Pemberton registered his French Wine Coca nervetonic.[10] In 1886, when Atlanta and Fulton County passedprohibition legislation, Pemberton responded by developingCoca-Cola, essentially a nonalcoholic version of French WineCoca.[11] The first sales were at Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta,Georgia, on May 8, 1886.[12] It was initially sold as a patentmedicine for five cents[13] a glass at soda fountains, which werepopular in the United States at the time due to the belief thatcarbonated water was good for the health.[14] Pemberton claimedCoca-Cola cured many diseases, including morphine addiction,dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headache, and impotence. Pembertonran the first advertisement for the beverage on May 29 of thesame year in the Atlanta Journal.[15]

By 1888, three versions of Coca-Cola – sold by three separatebusinesses – were on the market. A copartnership had beenformed on January 14, 1888 between Pemberton and four Atlantabusinessmen: J.C. Mayfield, A.O. Murphey; C.O. Mullahy andE.H. Bloodworth. Not codified by any signed document, a verbalstatement given by Asa Candler years later asserted undertestimony that he had acquired a stake in Pemberton's companyas early as 1887.[16] John Pemberton declared that the name"Coca-Cola" belonged to his son, Charley, but the other twomanufacturers could continue to use the formula.[17]

Charley Pemberton's record of control over the "Coca-Cola"name was the underlying factor that allowed for him toparticipate as a major shareholder in the March 1888 Coca-ColaCompany incorporation filing made in his father's place.[18]

Charley's exclusive control over the "Coca Cola" name became acontinual thorn in Asa Candler's side. Candler's oldest son,Charles Howard Candler, authored a book in 1950 published byEmory University. In this definitive biography about his father,Candler specifically states: "..., on April 14, 1888, the youngdruggist [Asa Griggs Candler] purchased a one-third interest in the formula of an almost completelyunknown proprietary elixir known as Coca-Cola."[19]

The deal was actually between John Pemberton's son Charley and Walker, Candler & Co. – with JohnPemberton acting as cosigner for his son. For $50 down and $500 in 30 days, Walker, Candler & Co.obtained all of the one-third interest in the Coca-Cola Company that Charley held, all while Charley stillheld on to the name. After the April 14 deal, on April 17, 1888, one-half of the Walker/Dozier interestshares were acquired by Candler for an additional $750.[20]

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Old German Coca-Cola bottle opener.

The Coca-Cola Company

In 1892, Candler set out to incorporate a second company; "The Coca-Cola Company" (the currentcorporation). When Candler had the earliest records of the "Coca-Cola Company" burned in 1910, theaction was claimed to have been made during a move to newcorporation offices around this time.[21]

After Candler had gained a better foothold on Coca-Cola in April1888, he nevertheless was forced to sell the beverage heproduced with the recipe he had under the names "Yum Yum"and "Koke". This was while Charley Pemberton was selling theelixir, although a cruder mixture, under the name "Coca-Cola",all with his father's blessing. After both names failed to catch onfor Candler, by the summer of 1888, the Atlanta pharmacist wasquite anxious to establish a firmer legal claim to Coca-Cola, andhoped he could force his two competitors, Walker and Dozier,completely out of the business, as well.[22]

When Dr. John Stith Pemberton suddenly died on August 16, 1888, Asa G. Candler now sought to moveswiftly forward to attain his vision of taking full control of the whole Coca-Cola operation.

Charley Pemberton, an alcoholic, was the one obstacle who unnerved Asa Candler more than anyoneelse. Candler is said to have quickly maneuvered to purchase the exclusive rights to the name "Coca-Cola" from Pemberton's son Charley right after Dr. Pemberton's death. One of several stories was thatCandler bought the title to the name from Charley's mother for $300; approaching her at Dr. Pemberton'sfuneral. Eventually, Charley Pemberton was found on June 23, 1894, unconscious, with a stick of opiumby his side. Ten days later, Charley died at Atlanta's Grady Hospital at the age of 40.[23]

In Charles Howard Candler's 1950 book about his father, he stated: "On August 30th [1888], he [AsaCandler] became sole proprietor of Coca-Cola, a fact which was stated on letterheads, invoice blanksand advertising copy."[24]

With this action on August 30, 1888, Candler's sole control became technically all true. Candler hadnegotiated with Margaret Dozier and her brother Woolfolk Walker a full payment amounting to $1,000,which all agreed Candler could pay off with a series of notes over a specified time span. By May 1,1889, Candler was now claiming full ownership of the Coca-Cola beverage, with a total investmentoutlay by Candler for the drink enterprise over the years amounting to $2,300.[25]

In 1914, Margaret Dozier, as co-owner of the original Coca-Cola Company in 1888, came forward toclaim that her signature on the 1888 Coca-Cola Company bill of sale had been forged. Subsequentanalysis of certain similar transfer documents had also indicated John Pemberton's signature was mostlikely a forgery, as well, which some accounts claim was precipitated by his son Charley.[26]

Origins of bottling

The first bottling of Coca-Cola occurred in Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the Biedenharn Candy Companyin 1891. The proprietor of the bottling works was Joseph A. Biedenharn. The original bottles wereBiedenharn bottles, very different from the much later hobble-skirt design of 1915 now so familiar.

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Bottling plant of Coca-Cola CanadaLtd. January 8, 1941. Montreal,Canada.

Original framed Coca-Cola artist'sdrawn graphic presented by TheCoca-Cola Company on July 12,1944 to Charles Howard Candler onthe occasion of Coca-Cola's "1Billionth Gallon of Coca-ColaSyrup."

It was then a few years later that two entrepreneurs from Chattanooga, Tennessee, namely; Benjamin F.Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead, proposed the idea of bottling and were so persuasive that Candlersigned a contract giving them control of the procedure for only one dollar. Candler never collected hisdollar, but in 1899, Chattanooga became the site of the first Coca-Cola bottling company. Candlerremained very content just selling his company's syrup.[27] The loosely termed contract proved to beproblematic for The Coca-Cola Company for decades to come.Legal matters were not helped by the decision of the bottlers tosubcontract to other companies, effectively becoming parentbottlers.[28]

20th century

The first outdoor wall advertisement that promoted the Coca-Cola drink was painted in 1894 in Cartersville, Georgia.[29] Colasyrup was sold as an over-the-counter dietary supplement forupset stomach.[30][31] By the time of its 50th anniversary, the softdrink had reached the status of a national icon in the USA. In1935, it was certified kosher by Atlanta Rabbi Tobias Geffen, after the company made minor changes inthe sourcing of some ingredients.[32]

The longest running commercial Coca-Cola soda fountainanywhere was Atlanta's Fleeman's Pharmacy, which first openedits doors in 1914.[33] Jack Fleeman took over the pharmacy fromhis father and ran it until 1995; closing it after 81 years.[34] OnJuly 12, 1944, the one-billionth gallon of Coca-Cola syrup wasmanufactured by The Coca-Cola Company. Cans of Coke firstappeared in 1955.[35]

New Coke

On April 23, 1985, Coca-Cola, amid much publicity, attemptedto change the formula of the drink with "New Coke". Follow-uptaste tests revealed most consumers preferred the taste of NewCoke to both Coke and Pepsi[36] but Coca-Cola management wasunprepared for the public's nostalgia for the old drink, leading toa backlash. The company gave in to protests and returned to avariation of the old formula using high fructose corn syrupinstead of cane sugar as the main sweetener, under the nameCoca-Cola Classic, on July 10, 1985.

21st century

On July 5, 2005, it was revealed that Coca-Cola would resumeoperations in Iraq for the first time since the Arab League boycotted the company in 1968.[37]

In April 2007, in Canada, the name "Coca-Cola Classic" was changed back to "Coca-Cola". The word"Classic" was removed because "New Coke" was no longer in production, eliminating the need todifferentiate between the two.[38] The formula remained unchanged. In January 2009, Coca-Cola

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Claimed to be the first installationanywhere of the 1948 model "BoatMotor" styled Coca-Cola sodadispenser, Fleeman's Pharmacy,Atlanta, Georgia. The "Boat Motor"soda dispenser was introduced in thelate 1930s and manufactured till thelate 1950s. Photograph circa 1948.

The Las Vegas Strip World of Coca-Cola museum in 2003

stopped printing the word "Classic" on the labels of 16-US-fluid-ounce (470 ml) bottles sold in parts ofthe southeastern United States.[39] The change is part of a larger strategy to rejuvenate the product'simage.[39] The word "Classic" was removed from all Coca-Cola products by 2011.

In November 2009, due to a dispute over wholesale prices of Coca-Cola products, Costco stoppedrestocking its shelves with Coke and Diet Coke. However, some Costco locations (such as the ones inTucson, Arizona), sell imported Coca-Cola from Mexico.[40]

Coca-Cola introduced the 7.5-ounce mini-can in 2009, and onSeptember 22, 2011, the company announced price reductions,asking retailers to sell eight-packs for $2.99. That same day,Coca-Cola announced the 12.5-ounce bottle, to sell for 89 cents.A 16-ounce bottle has sold well at 99 cents since being re-introduced, but the price was going up to $1.19.[41]

In 2012, Coca-Cola resumed business in Myanmar after 60 yearsof absence due to U.S.-imposed investment sanctions against thecountry.[42][43] Coca-Cola's bottling plant will be located inYangon and is part of the company's five-year plan and $200million investment in Myanmar.[44] Coca-Cola with its partnersis to invest USD 5 billion in its operations in India by 2020.[45]

In 2013, it was announced that Coca-Cola Life would beintroduced in Argentina that would contain stevia and sugar.[46]

In August 2014 the company announced it was forming a long-term partnership with Monster Beverage, with the two forging astrategic marketing and distribution alliance, and product lineswap. As part of the deal Coca-Cola was to acquire a 16.7%stake in Monster for $2.15 billion, with an option to increase it to25%.[47]

Production

Ingredients

Carbonated waterSugar (sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup depending oncountry of origin)CaffeinePhosphoric acidCaramel color (E150d)

Natural flavorings[48]

A can of Coke (12 fl ounces/355 ml) has 39 grams of carbohydrates (all from sugar, approximately 10teaspoons),[49] 50 mg of sodium, 0 grams fat, 0 grams potassium, and 140 calories.[50]

Formula of natural flavorings

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Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta,Georgia

An early Coca Cola advertisement.

The exact formula of Coca-Cola's natural flavorings (but not its other ingredients, which are listed on theside of the bottle or can) is a trade secret. The original copy of the formula was held in SunTrust Bank'smain vault in Atlanta for 86 years. Its predecessor, the Trust Company, was the underwriter for theCoca-Cola Company's initial public offering in 1919. On December 8, 2011, the original secret formulawas moved from the vault at SunTrust Banks to a new vault containing the formula which will be ondisplay for visitors to its World of Coca-Cola museum in downtown Atlanta.[51]

According to Snopes, a popular myth states that only twoexecutives have access to the formula, with each executivehaving only half the formula.[52] However, several sources statethat while Coca-Cola does have a rule restricting access to onlytwo executives, each knows the entire formula and others, inaddition to the prescribed duo, have known the formulationprocess.[53]

On February 11, 2011, Ira Glass revealed on his PRI radio show,This American Life, that the secret formula to Coca-Cola hadbeen uncovered in a 1979 newspaper. The formula foundbasically matched the formula found in Pemberton'sdiary.[54][55][56][57]

Use of stimulants in formula

When launched, Coca-Cola's two key ingredients were cocaineand caffeine. The cocaine was derived from the coca leaf and thecaffeine from kola nut, leading to the name Coca-Cola (the "K"in Kola was replaced with a "C" for marketing purposes).[58][59]

Coca – cocaine

Pemberton called for five ounces of coca leaf per gallon of syrup,a significant dose; in 1891, Candler claimed his formula (alteredextensively from Pemberton's original) contained only a tenth ofthis amount. Coca-Cola once contained an estimated ninemilligrams of cocaine per glass. In 1903, it was removed.[60]

After 1904, instead of using fresh leaves, Coca-Cola startedusing "spent" leaves – the leftovers of the cocaine-extractionprocess with trace levels of cocaine.[61] Coca-Cola now uses acocaine-free coca leaf extract prepared at a Stepan Companyplant in Maywood, New Jersey.[62]

In the United States, the Stepan Company is the only manufacturing plant authorized by the FederalGovernment to import and process the coca plant,[63] which it obtains mainly from Peru and, to a lesserextent, Bolivia. Besides producing the coca flavoring agent for Coca-Cola, the Stepan Company extractscocaine from the coca leaves, which it sells to Mallinckrodt, a St. Louis, Missouri, pharmaceuticalmanufacturer that is the only company in the United States licensed to purify cocaine for medicinaluse.[64]

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Kola nuts – caffeine

Kola nuts act as a flavoring and the source of caffeine in Coca-Cola. In Britain, for example, theingredient label states "Flavourings (Including Caffeine)."[65] Kola nuts contain about 2.0 to 3.5%caffeine, are of bitter flavor and are commonly used in cola soft drinks. In 1911, the U.S. governmentinitiated United States v. Forty Barrels and Twenty Kegs of Coca-Cola, hoping to force Coca-Cola toremove caffeine from its formula. The case was decided in favor of Coca-Cola. Subsequently, in 1912,the U.S. Pure Food and Drug Act was amended, adding caffeine to the list of "habit-forming" and"deleterious" substances which must be listed on a product's label.

Coca-Cola contains 34 mg of caffeine per 12 fluid ounces (9.8 mg per 100 ml).[66]

Franchised production model

The actual production and distribution of Coca-Cola follows a franchising model. The Coca-ColaCompany only produces a syrup concentrate, which it sells to bottlers throughout the world, who holdCoca-Cola franchises for one or more geographical areas. The bottlers produce the final drink by mixingthe syrup with filtered water and sweeteners, and then carbonate it before putting it in cans and bottles,which the bottlers then sell and distribute to retail stores, vending machines, restaurants and food servicedistributors.[67]

The Coca-Cola Company owns minority shares in some of its largest franchises, such as Coca-ColaEnterprises, Coca-Cola Amatil, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company and Coca-Cola FEMSA, butfully independent bottlers produce almost half of the volume sold in the world. Independent bottlers areallowed to sweeten the drink according to local tastes.[68]

The bottling plant in Skopje, Macedonia, received the 2009 award for "Best Bottling Company".[69]

On May 5, 2014, Coca-Cola said they are working to remove a controversial ingredient, brominatedvegetable oil, from all of their drinks.[70]

Geographic spread

Since it announced its intention to begin distribution in Burma in June 2012, Coca-Cola has beenofficially available in every country in the world except Cuba and North Korea.[71] However, it isreported to be available in both countries as a grey import.[72][73]

Coca-Cola has been a point of legal discussion in the Middle East. In the early 20th century, a fatwa wascreated in Egypt to discuss the question of "whether Muslims were permitted to drink Coca-Cola andPepsi cola."[74] The fatwa states: "According to the Muslim Hanefite, Shafi'ite, etc., the rule in Islamiclaw of forbidding or allowing foods and beverages is based on the presumption that such things arepermitted unless it can be shown that they are forbidden on the basis of the Qur'an."[74] The Muslimjurists stated that, unless the Qu'ran specifically prohibits the consumption of a particular product, it ispermissible to consume. Another clause was discussed, whereby the same rules apply if a person isunaware of the condition or ingredients of the item in question.

Brand portfolio

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This is a list of variants of Coca-Cola introduced around the world. In addition to the caffeine-freeversion of the original, additional fruit flavors have been included over the years. Not included here areversions of Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero; variant versions of those no-calorie colas can be found attheir respective articles.

Name Launched Discontinued NotesCoca-Cola 1886 The original version of Coca-Cola.Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola

1983 The caffeine free version of Coca-Cola.

Coca-ColaCherry 1985 Was available in Canada starting in 1996. Called "Cherry

Coca-Cola (Cherry Coke)" in North America until 2006.NewCoke/"Coca-Cola II"

1985 2002 Was still available in Yap and American Samoa

Coca-Colawith Lemon 2001 2005

Available in:

Australia, American Samoa, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China,Denmark, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland,France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Korea, Luxembourg,Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nether