**Coca-Cola Formula History and Ingredients**:
– Original formula shared by John Pemberton, purchased by Asa Candler in 1891
– Ernest Woodruff moved the formula to a vault in 1919
– Only 2 employees know the formula at a time
– Original formula included coca leaves and cocaine, with cocaine removed in 1903
– Current ingredients shipped anonymously to syrup factories
– Primary taste from vanilla, cinnamon, essential oils, and spices
**Coca-Cola Formula Variations**:
– U.S. bottlers shifted to high-fructose corn syrup in the 1980s
– Some bottlers outside the U.S. still use sucrose
– Mexican Coke with sucrose available in U.S. markets
– Passover versions switch to sucrose for kosher certification
– Market switch to sucrose to cater to Jewish populations
**Coca-Cola Formula Changes and New Coke**:
– New Coke introduced in 1985 due to consumer preference for Pepsi
– Negative response led to reintroduction of the original formula
– New Coke continued as Coke II until discontinuation in 2002
– Original Coca-Cola Classic label removed in 2009
– New Coke was marketed in North America only for 17 years
**Coca-Cola Ownership and Former Holdings**:
– Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Coca-Cola FEMSA, Coca-Cola Hellenic, Bambi
– Former Holdings: Beverage Partners Worldwide, Coca-Cola Amatil, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures
**Legal Cases, Campaigns, and Historical References**:
– Legal cases involving Coca-Cola: United States v. Forty Barrels and Twenty Kegs of Coca-Cola, Escola v. Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Sinaltrainal v. Coca-Cola, POM Wonderful v. Coca-Cola
– Coca-Cola campaigns and slogans: Ashita Ga Arusa, Coke Zero Facial Profiler, Coming Together, Country Sunshine, Hey Kid, Catch!
– Historical references from various sources and media coverage on Coca-Cola’s recipe and ingredients
The Coca-Cola Company's formula for Coca-Cola syrup, which bottlers combine with carbonated water to create the company's flagship cola soft drink, is a closely guarded trade secret. Company founder Asa Candler initiated the veil of secrecy that surrounds the formula in 1891 as a publicity, marketing, and intellectual property protection strategy. While several recipes, each purporting to be the authentic formula, have been published, the company maintains that the actual formula remains a secret, known only to a very few select (and anonymous) employees.
