Coca Cola History

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 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 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, ”Coca-Cola”.

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.

1891: Atlanta entrepreneur Asa G. Candler had acquired complete ownership of the Coca-Cola business. Pemberton was forced to sell because he was in a state of poor health and was in debt. He had paid $76.96 for advertising, but he only made $50.00 in profits. Candler acquired the whole company for $2,300. 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.

1899: Chandler's great achievement -- large scale bottling of Coca-Cola

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: The Coca-Cola Company was sold after the Prohibition Era to Ernest Woodruff for 25 million dollars. He gave Coca-Cola to his son, Robert Woodruff, who would be president for six decades.

Woodruff's leadership took the business to unrivaled heights of commercial success, making Coca-Cola an institution the world over. Woodruff was an influential man in Atlanta because of his contributions to area colleges, universities, businesses and organizations. When he made a contribution, he would never leave his name, this is how he became to be known as "Mr. Anonymous."

During the Woodruff era, Mr. Woodruff made a promise to the armed forces of the United States to supply Coca-Cola to every serviceperson. He said that costs and location did not matter, he supplied 5 billion bottles to the service.

Robert Woodruff did have one dubious distinction, he raised the syrup prices for distributors. But he improved efficiency at every step of the manufacturing process. Woodruff also increased productivity by improving the sales department, emphasizing quality control, and beginning large-scale advertising and promotional campaigns. Woodruff made Coke available in every state of the Union through the soda fountain. For all of these achievements he earned the name, "The Boss

1923: Woodruff introduced the six bottle carton.

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: Coca-Cola was made available through vending machine. The Coca-Cola bell glass was made available.

1931: The Coke Santa was introduced as a Christmas promotion.

1934: Johnny Weissmuller, and Olympic champion swimmer, and Maureen O'Sullivan, a motion-picture star, appeared on a metal serving tray for Coca-Cola.

1940: Coke is bottled in over 40 countries.

1943: On June 29, an urgent cablegram arrived from General Dwight Eisenhower's Allied Headquarters in North Africa, requesting 10 Coca-Cola bottling plants to serve American servicemen overseas. Eventually, 64 plants were set up during WWII.

1950: Advertising on on the television began. Currently Coca-Cola is advertised on over five hundred TV channels around the world.