History of Coca Cola

HISTORY
OF

The world has changed in many ways since pharmacist, John Styth Pemberton first introduced the refreshing taste of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia. However, the pure and simple magic of one thing remains the same ~ Coca-Cola. The name and the product mean so many good things to hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe. Coca-Cola products are served more than 705 million times every day, quenching the thirsts of consumers in more than 195 countries in every climate. That's a long way to come after such a modest beginning...

May of 1886 Pemberton concocted a caramel-colored syrup in a three-legged brass kettle in his backyard. He first "distributed" the new product by carrying Coca-Cola in a jug down the street to Jacobs Pharmacy. For five cents, consumers could enjoy a glass of Coca-Cola at the soda fountain. Whether by design or accident, carbonated water was teamed with the new syrup, producing a drink that was proclaimed "Delicious and Refreshing." Dr. Pemberton's partner and bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, suggested the name and penned, in the unique flowing script that is famous worldwide today, "".
1886 ~ sales of Coca-Cola averaged nine drinks per day. That first year, Dr. Pemberton sold 25 gallons of syrup, shipped in bright red wooden kegs. Red has been a distinctive color associated with the No. 1 soft drink brand ever since. For his efforts, Dr. Pemberton grossed $50 and spent $73.96 on advertising.
1891 ~ Atlanta entrepreneur Asa G. Candler had acquired complete ownership of the Coca-Cola business. Within four years, Candler's merchandising flair helped expand consumption of Coca-Cola to every state and territory.
1893 ~ In January "Coca-Cola" was registered in the U.S. Patent office.
1894 ~ The first syrup plant outside of Atlanta was opened in Dallas.
1906 ~ The first two countries outside the United States to bottle Coca-Cola were Cuba and Panama.
1915 ~ The Root Glass company created the Coca-Cola contour glass bottle.
1917 ~ 3 Million Coke's sold per day. "Coca-Cola " is the worlds most recognized trademark.
1919 ~ The Coca-Cola Company was sold to a group of investors for $25 million.
1923 ~ Robert W. Woodruff became president of The Coca-Cola Company. His more than six decades of leadership took the business to unrivaled heights of commercial success, making Coca-Cola an institution the world over.
1925 ~ 6 Million Coke's sold per day.
1927 ~ The first Coca-Cola radio advertisement.
1928 ~ Sales of bottled Coca-Cola surpassed fountain sales for the first time.
1929 ~ Advertising slogan - "The Pause that Refreshes".
1940 ~ Coke is bottled in over 40 countries.
1956 ~ Advertising slogan - "Coca-Cola, making good things taste better".
1961 ~ Sprite was introduced.
1970 ~ Advertising slogan - "It's the Real Thing".
1971 ~ The song "I'd like to Buy the World a Coke" was released.
1979 ~ Advertising slogan - "Have a Coke and a Smile".
1982 ~ Diet Coke was introduced in July.
1988 ~ Coca-Cola was the first independent operator in the Soviet Union.
1989 ~ Advertising slogan - "Can't Beat the Feeling".
1993 ~ Coca-Cola exceeds 10 Billion cases sold worldwide.
1993 ~ Advertising slogan - "Always Coca-Cola".

The Coca-Cola Company began bottling operations in ...

... 1907 in Hawaii.
... 1912 in the Philippines.
... 1920 in France.
... 1927 in Belgium, Bermuda, Colombia, honduras, Italy, Mexico, Haiti and Burma.
... 1928 in Antigua, China, Guatemala, Holland, Spain, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic.
... 1929 in Germany and Spanish Morocco.
... 1938 Australia, Austria, Gutana, Surinam, jamaica, Curacao, Luxembourg, Norway, Scotland, South Africa, The Virgin Islands, and Trinidad.
... 1940 in Ecuador, and El Salvador.
... 1942 in Nicaragua, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Iceland, and Uruguay.
... 1945 in Egypt, and Martinique
... 1946 in Barbados, Japan, and Okinawa
... 1947 in Morocco and Tangier
... 1948 in Liberia, Rhodesia, and Guadeloupe

More fun facts and trivia

Mexico and Iceland have the highest per capita consumption of Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola translated to Chinese means, "To make mouth happy".
Every second over 7,000 Coca-Cola products are consumed.
If all the Coca-Cola ever produced were in 6 1/2 oz. bottles and placed end to end they would wrap arount the earth more than 11,863 times.
The tallest Coca-Cola bottling plants are in Hong Kong. The plant in Quarry Bay is 17 floors, and the plant in Shatin is 25 floors.
The bottling plant at the highest elevation in the world is located in Bolivia, at 12,000 feet.
The world's longest Coca-Cola truck is in Sweden. It is 79 feet long with a four-azle trailer.
The best selling non-carbonated soft drink in Japan is a product of The Coca-Cola Company named "Georgia", a coffee flavored beverage.
Coca-Cola first crossed the Atlantic on board the Graf Zeppelin, the Geman dirigible.
The Varsity Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, has earned the distinction of serving the highest volume of Coca-Cola anywhere. It dispenses nearly 3 million servings of Coca-Cola annually.
If all the Coca-Cola vending machines in the U.S. were stacked one on top of each other, the pile would be over 450 miles high.

What's in a Coke???

Carbonated Water
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Caramel Color
Phosphoric Acid
Natural Flavors
Caffeine

Coca-Cola", "Coke", "Diet Coke", "Coke light", "Cherry Coke", "Fanta", "Five Alive", "Fresca", "Hi-C", "Mello Yello", "Minute Maid", "Sprite", "Diet Sprite" and "TAB" are all trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company, as well as the contour bottle, the Always icon, the design of the COCA-COLA Santa, and the design of the COCA-COLA Polar Bear.It's all copyrighted by The Coca-Cola Company -- 1995.
All rights reserved.
This page was updated 18 April 1999