History of Coca Cola

Coca Cola is a soft drink known to many around the world. It began in Columbus, Georgia in 1885. It was originally formulated as a type of coca wine, which is an alcoholic beverage of wine and coca extract. The inventor, a pharmacist named John Pemberton, called it Pemberton's French Wine Coca. But when the state passed prohibition legislation in 1886 preventing the manufacturing and sale of alcoholic beverages, Pemberton began to develop it as a non-alcoholic medicine, which was sold for five cents at soda fountains.  It claimed to cure many diseases, but soon was just advertised as a beverage when carbonated water was added to the original syrup (although the syrup could still be bought in pharmacies as a medicine). Pembertons bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, made the  name and logo Coca Cola.

     
Coca Cola coupons that "entitles you to one glass of free Coca Coa".
Courtesy of www.eatmedaily.com

                                                

An official Coca Cola incorporation was formed, with the first shareholders being Pembertons son Charley, Asa Candler, Woolfolk Walker and his sister Margaret Dozier. However, tension was caused when Pemberton declared the name Coca Cola to go to Charley. But just before his death in 1888, Pemberton sold a large portion to Candler, as the pharmacist had not made a profit from his creation. Coca Cola had yet to become the sensation it is today.

Candler soon was able to acquire the whole company from Walker and his sister. A lot was achieved when he was the sole owner. In 1893, the famous formula was patented, and the next year the soda was bottled for the first time, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and sold by Joseph Biedenharn in his shop. Although tentative about bottling, Candler opened the first Coca Cola bottling plant in Chattanooga in 1899. He also aggressively advertised with billboards, newspaper ads and gave away coupons for free glasses of the beverage. He was the first to realize this was a successful tactic in increasing awareness and popularity of the product. The brand grew and grew, with innovative advertising techniques overcoming the barrier of no national media. Coca Cola calendars, notebooks and more were given away for free, and they ended up all over the United States. It quickly became popular wherever it went. By the end of the 19^th century it was sold nationwide. In 1919, Candler sold the company to Atlanta banker Ernest Woodruff for $25 million. Ernest gave it to his son Robert Woodruff, who would be president for 6 decades. He pioneered the six bottle cardboard carton, and by the end of 1928, sales in bottles exceeded the fountain sales. 

In 1886, sales averaged nine drinks per day. According to 2010 figures, 1.6 billion drinks are sold each day. From small beginnings, Coca Cola became popular all over the world, and it has become a global leader in the drinks market.

  

                           

     Here's the first of a series of videos that give a detailed account of the history of Coca Cola