The document provides a history of Coca-Cola from 1886 to the present. It details key events and people in the company's development, including John Pemberton creating the original Coca-Cola recipe in 1886, Asa Griggs Candler acquiring rights to the business and becoming the first president, Robert Woodruff expanding distribution globally during his tenure as president from 1923 to 1954, and the introduction of new products and packaging innovations over time that helped Coca-Cola grow into one of the most recognized brands worldwide.

1. COCA COLA COMPANYHISTORY1886-1892ATLANTA BEGINNINGSIt was 1886, and in New York Harbor, workers were constructing the Statue of Liberty. Eight hundred miles away, another great American symbol was about to be unveiled.Like many people who change history, John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist, was inspired by simple curiosity. One afternoon, he stirred up a fragrant, caramel-colored liquid and, when it was done, he carried it a few doors down to Jacobs' Pharmacy. Here, the mixture was combined with carbonated water and sampled by customers who all agreed -- this new drink was something special. So Jacobs' Pharmacy put it on sale for five cents a glass. Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, named the mixture Coca-Cola®, and wrote it out in his distinct script. To this day, Coca-Cola is written the same way. In the first year, Pemberton sold just 9 glasses of Coca-Cola a day. A century later, The Coca-Cola Company has produced more than 10 billion gallons of syrup. Unfortunately for Pemberton, he died in 1888 without realizing the success of the beverage he had created. Over the course of three years, 1888-1891, Atlanta businessman Asa Griggs Candler secured rights to the business for a total of about $2,300. Candler would become the Company's first president, and the first to bring real vision to the business and the brand.

2. COCA COLA COMPANYHISTORY1893-1904BEYOND ATLANTAAsa G. Candler, a natural born salesman, transformed Coca-Cola from an invention into a business. He knew there were thirsty people out there, and Candler found brilliant and innovative ways to introduce them to this exciting new refreshment. He gave away coupons for complimentary first tastes of Coca-Cola, and outfitted distributing pharmacists with clocks, urns, calendars and apothecary scales bearing the Coca-Cola brand. People saw Coca-Cola everywhere, and the aggressive promotion worked. By 1895, Candler had built syrup plants in Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. Inevitably, the soda's popularity led to a demand for it to be enjoyed in new ways. In 1894, a Mississippi businessman named Joseph Biedenharn became the first to put Coca-Cola in bottles. He sent 12 of them to Candler, who responded without enthusiasm. Despite being a brilliant and innovative businessman, he didn't realize then that the future of Coca-Cola would be with portable, bottled beverages customers could take anywhere. He still didn't realize it five years later, when, in 1899, two Chattanooga lawyers, Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead, secured exclusive rights from Candler to bottle and sell the beverage -- for the sum of only one dollar.

3. COCA COLA COMPANYHISTORY1905-1918SAFEGUARDING THE BRANDImitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but The Coca-Cola Company was none too pleased about the proliferation of copycat beverages taking advantage of its success. This was a great product, and a great brand. Both needed to be protected. Advertising focused on the authenticity of Coca-Cola, urging consumers to "Demand the genuine" and "Accept no substitute." The Company also decided to create a distinctive bottle shape to assure people they were actually getting a real Coca-Cola. The Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana, won a contest to design a bottle that could be recognized in the dark. In 1916, they began manufacturing the famous contour bottle. The contour bottle, which remains the signature shape of Coca-Cola today, was chosen for its attractive appearance, original design and the fact that, even in the dark, you could identify the genuine article. As the country roared into the new century, The Coca-Cola Company grew rapidly, moving into Canada, Panama, Cuba, Puerto Rico, France, and other countries and U.S. territories. In 1900, there were two bottlers of Coca-Cola; by 1920, there would be about 1,000.

4. COCA COLA COMPANYHISTORY1919-1940THE WOODRUFF LEGACYPerhaps no person had more impact on The Coca-Cola Company than Robert Woodruff. In 1923, four years after his father Ernest purchased the Company from Asa Candler, Woodruff became the Company president. While Candler had introduced the U.S. to Coca-Cola, Woodruff would spend more than 60 years as Company leader introducing the beverage to the world beyond. Woodruff was a marketing genius who saw opportunities for expansion everywhere. He led the expansion of Coca-Cola overseas and in 1928 introduced Coca-Cola to the Olympic Games for the first time when Coca-Cola traveled with the U.S. team to the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. Woodruff pushed development and distribution of the six-pack, the open top cooler, and many other innovations that made it easier for people to drink Coca-Cola at home or away. This new thinking made Coca-Cola not just a huge success, but a big part of people's lives.

5. COCA COLA COMPANYHISTORY1941-1959THE WAR AND ITS LEGACYIn 1941, America entered World War II. Thousands of men and women were sent overseas. The country, and Coca-Cola, rallied behind them. Woodruff ordered that "every man in uniform gets a bottle of Coca-Cola for 5 cents, wherever he is, and whatever it costs the Company." In 1943, General Dwight D. Eisenhower sent an urgent cablegram to Coca-Cola, requesting shipment of materials for 10 bottling plants. During the war, many people enjoyed their first taste of the beverage, and when peace finally came, the foundations were laid for Coca-Cola to do business overseas. Woodruff’s vision that Coca-Cola be placed within "arm's reach of desire," was coming true -- from the mid-1940s until 1960, the number of countries with bottling operations nearly doubled. Post-war America was alive with optimism and prosperity. Coca-Cola was part of a fun, carefree American lifestyle, and the imagery of its advertising -- happy couples at the drive-in, carefree moms driving big yellow convertibles -- reflected the spirit of the times.

6. COCA COLA COMPANYHISTORY1960-1981A WORLD OF CUSTOMERSAfter 70 years of success with one brand, Coca-Cola®, the Company decided to expand with new flavors: Fanta®, originally developed in the 1940s and introduced in the 1950s; Sprite® followed in 1961, with TAB® in 1963 and Fresca® in 1966. In 1960, The Coca-Cola Company acquired The Minute Maid Company, adding an entirely new line of business -- juices -- to the Company. The Company's presence worldwide was growing rapidly, and year after year, Coca-Cola found a home in more and more places: Cambodia, Montserrat, Paraguay, Macau, Turkey and more. Advertising for Coca-Cola, always an important and exciting part of its business, really came into its own in the 1970s, and reflected a brand connected with fun, friends and good times. The international appeal of Coca-Cola was embodied by a 1971 commercial, where a group of young people from all over the world gathered on a hilltop in Italy to sing "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke." In 1978, The Coca-Cola Company was selected as the only Company allowed to sell packaged cold drinks in the People's Republic of China.

7. COCA COLA COMPANYHISTORY1982-1989DIET COKE AND NEW COKEThe 1980s -- the era of legwarmers, headbands and the fitness craze, and a time of much change and innovation at The Coca-Cola Company. In 1981, Roberto C. Goizueta became chairman of The Board of Directors and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. Goizueta, who fled Castro's Cuba in 1961, completely overhauled the Company with a strategy he called "intelligent risk taking." Among his bold moves was organizing the numerous U.S. bottling operations into a new public company, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. He also led the introduction of diet Coke®, the very first extension of the Coca-Cola trademark; within two years, it had become the top low-calorie drink in the world, second in success only to Coca-Cola. One of Goizueta's other initiatives, in 1985, was the release of a new taste for Coca-Cola, the first change in formulation in 99 years. In taste tests, people loved the new formula, commonly called “new Coke.” In the real world, they had a deep emotional attachment to the original, and they begged and pleaded to get it back. Critics called it the biggest marketing blunder ever. But the Company listened, and the original formula was returned to the market as Coca-Cola classic®, and the product began to increase its lead over the competition -- a lead that continues to this day.

8. COCA COLA COMPANYHISTROY1990-1999NEW MARKETS AND BRANDSThe 1990s were a time of continued growth for The Coca-Cola Company. The Company's long association with sports was strengthened during this decade, with ongoing support of the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup™ football (soccer), Rugby World Cup and the National Basketball Association. Coca-Cola classic became the Official Soft Drink of NASCAR racing, connecting the brand with one of the world's fastest growing and most popular spectator sports. And 1993 saw the introduction of the popular "Always Coca-Cola" advertising campaign, and the world met the lovable Coca-Cola Polar Bear for the first time. New markets opened up as Coca-Cola products were sold in East Germany in 1990 and returned to India in 1993. New beverages joined the Company's line-up, including Powerade® sports drink, Qoo® children's fruit drink and Dasani® bottled water. The Company's family of brands further expanded through acquisitions, including Limca®, Maaza® and Thums Up® in India, Barq's® root beer in the U.S., Inca Kola® in Peru, and Cadbury Schweppes'® beverage brands in more than 120 countries around the world. By 1997, the Company already sold 1 billion servings of its products every day, yet knew that opportunity for growth was still around every corner.

9. COCA COLA COMPANYHISTORY2000-NOWCOCA COLA NOWIn 1886, Coca-Cola® brought refreshment to patrons of a small Atlanta pharmacy. Now well into its second century, the Company's goal is to provide magic every time someone drinks one of its more than 500 brands. Coca-Cola has fans from Boston to Budapest to Bahrain, drinking brands such as Ambasa, Vegitabeta and Frescolita. In the remotest comers of the globe, you can still find Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola is committed to local markets, paying attention to what people from different cultures and backgrounds like to drink, and where and how they want to drink it. With its bottling partners, the Company reaches out to the local communities it serves, believing that Coca-Cola exists to benefit and refresh everyone it touches. From the early beginnings when just nine drinks a day were served, Coca-Cola has grown to the world’s most ubiquitous brand, with more than 1.4 billion beverage servings sold each day. When people choose to reach for one of The Coca-Cola Company brands, the Company wants that choice to be exciting and satisfying, every single time.

10. Innovation in our ProductsNutritionally FortifiedWe continue to expand our beverage portfolio in order to meet consumers' evolving needs and preferences. We currently offer more than 3,300 beverages around the world, including nutritionally fortified products.For instance, we developed NutriJuice, an orange flavored drink fortified with iron, zinc, lysine and vitamins A and C, to help address iron-deficiency anemia and malnutrition in children in the Philippines. Approximately 36,000 children have benefited from consuming this free product, which is provided to elementary school children during the school year.Our other fortified products are Nurisha, Vitingo and Nuricier.

11. Innovation in our PackagingIntroducing PlantBottleRenew. Reuse. Rejoice.Made from up to 30% plant-based material, PlantBottle packaging is a natural step toward the bottle of the future and is a 100% recyclable bottle like traditional PET plastic. Learn more.Other packaging news:Read about our new eco-friendly light weight bottle that's reducing carbon emissions by 35% in China.Learn about the world's largest plastic-bottle-to-bottle recycling plant and our multi-million dollar "Give it Back" recycling campaign.Get the scoop on our award-winning recycling bin made from recycled PET!Learn more about sustainable packaging and recyclingShop for products made from Recycled PET at Coca-ColaStore.com

12. Innovation in our EquipmentCoca-Cola Freestyle™Coca-Cola Freestyle™ is a new fountain dispenser from The Coca-Cola Company that uses microdosing technology to dispense 106 sparkling and still beverage brands from a single freestanding unit, delivering unprecedented beverage variety with choices to suit any consumer taste. Visit our press kit to read the press releases, download images, and find out what brands are available and where. Interactive Vending MachineThe video vender, which debuted at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and is now in select Simon Malls throughout the United States, integrates a Samsung 46-inch LCD touch screen into the front of a Coca-Cola vending machine. The large-format display combined with Flash technology, motion graphics, high-definition video and Bluetooth capabilities for mobile downloads, creates a uniquely immersive experience for consumers. The video vender took home the Gold Lion in the Point of Sale category at the 2009 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. Visit ourpress kit for press releases, images and videos.Climate Friendly CoolersThe Coca-Cola Company is committed to sustainable refrigeration for its vending equipment. Our Climate Friendly Coolers use a CO2 refrigeration system and HFC-free insulation foam that reduce potential direct CO2 equivalent green house gas emissions by approximately 99%. They also contain an intelligent management system reducing energy use and indirect carbon emissions up to 35%. By using these technologies, our typical Climate Friendly Cooler will reduce direct and indirect carbon emissions by over 3 tons over the Cooler's lifetime.

13. Innovation in our MarketingCoca-Cola Japan's new water brand I LOHAS is helping consumers contribute to environmental sustainability with a new ultra-light "crushable" plastic bottle that weighs 40% less than regular PET packaging. The label size has been reduced to save in materials and the water is sourced from places close to the plant to further reduce CO2 emissions from transportation.The new product was launched with an innovative marketing campaign called CRUSH ECO that demonstrates how consumer choices can affect carbon footprint. When the empty bottle is twisted, it becomes crushed like a rag. It feels great to do it and is a tangible action consumers can take every time they finish a bottle of I LOHAS. Making the choice to buy, drink and "crush" the new I LOHAS package is a very easy way they can act to make a difference.The campaign featured a street art project that turned the crushed bottles into "art" rather than rubbish. Sculptures and street installations called "Homeless Animals in the Concrete Jungle" highlighted the issue of habitat destruction while demonstrating the unique crushable PET bottle. A documentary video was created to show how easy it is to crush and recycle the new packaging.CRUSH ECO was awarded an Asia Marketing Effectiveness (AME) Award for Best Integrated Marketing Campaign for leveraging consumers' increasing desire to help solve environmental issues. The concept that consumers can make a significant difference to the world they live in by simply changing their choice in a water brand has revolutionized the market and the way consumers buy water in Japan. As a result, I LOHAS became the No.1 brand in Japan in just 6 months.

14. Innovation in the MarketplaceThe foodservice industry is an evolving world. Every day new restaurant concepts open, new items appear on the menu, and new consumers walk through the door with their own individual wants and expectations. As the leading beverage supplier for the foodservice industry, our customers turn to us to provide the products, programs, packaging and marketing support that are in tune with the ever-changing playing field of foodservice.As a result, we've become an organization where innovation is paramount to our success. Through innovation, we have helped, and will continue to help, our customers maintain and grow their businesses, especially in uncertain economic times. Some of these innovations offer consumers more beverage choices; some tap into growing categories like tea, coffee and smoothies; and some provide custom beverages and food/beverage pairings.Let's look at some recent examples:1. Our new Bevariety beverage dispenser allows consumers to choose from 12 brands and multiple flavor shot options, totaling more than 50 different drink combinations, in the same footprint as the existing legacy dispenser.2. Gold Peak variety tea dispenser is a self-service urn that offers four different tea flavors, offering choice and variety in the growing tea category.3. Juan Valdez caféREALE system enables foodservice operators to serve hot, fresh cups of Colombian coffee on demand (no brewing required).

15. HISTORY OF BOTTLINGCoca-Cola® originated as a soda fountain beverage in 1886 selling for five cents a glass. Early growth was impressive, but it was only when a strong bottling system developed thatCoca-Cola became the world-famous brand it is today.

16. 1894 … A modest start for a bold ideaIn a candy store in Vicksburg, Mississippi, brisk sales of the new fountain beverage calledCoca-Cola impressed the store's owner, Joseph A. Biedenharn. He began bottling Coca-Cola to sell, using a common glass bottle called a Hutchinson. Biedenharnsent a case to Asa Griggs Candler, who owned the Company. Candler thanked him but took no action. One of his nephews already had urged that Coca-Cola be bottled, but Candler focused on fountain sales.1899 … The first bottling agreementTwo young attorneys from Chattanooga, Tennessee believed they could build a business around bottling Coca-Cola. In a meeting with Candler, Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead obtained exclusive rights to bottle Coca-Cola across most of the United States (specifically excluding Vicksburg) -- for the sum of one dollar. A third Chattanooga lawyer, John T. Lupton, soon joined their venture.

17. 1900-1909 … Rapid growthThe three pioneer bottlers divided the country into territories and sold bottling rights to local entrepreneurs. Their efforts were boosted by major progress in bottling technology, which improved efficiency and product quality. By 1909, nearly 400 Coca-Colabottling plants were operating, most of them family-owned businesses. Some were open only during hot-weather months when demand was high.1916 … Birth of the contour bottleBottlers worried that the straight-sided bottle for Coca-Cola was easily confused with imitators. A group representing the Company and bottlers asked glass manufacturers to offer ideas for a distinctive bottle. A design from the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana won enthusiastic approval in 1915 and was introduced in 1916. The contour bottle became one of the few packages ever granted trademark status by the U.S. Patent Office. Today, it's one of the most recognized icons in the world - even in the dark!

18. 1920s … Bottling overtakes fountain salesAs the 1920s dawned, more than 1,000 Coca-Cola bottlers were operating in the U.S. Their ideas and zeal fueled steady growth. Six-bottle cartons were a huge hit after their 1923 introduction. A few years later, open-top metal coolers became the forerunners of automated vending machines. By the end of the 1920s, bottle sales ofCoca-Cola exceeded fountain sales.1920s and 30s … International expansionLed by longtime Company leader Robert W. Woodruff, chief executive officer and chairman of the Board, the Company began a major push to establish bottling operations outside the U.S. Plants were opened in France, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Belgium, Italy, Peru, Spain, Australia and South Africa. By the time World War II began,Coca-Cola was being bottled in 44 countries.

19. 1940s … Post-war growthDuring the war, 64 bottling plants were set up around the world to supply the troops. This followed an urgent request for bottling equipment and materials from General Eisenhower's base in North Africa. Many of these war-time plants were later converted to civilian use, permanently enlarging the bottling system and accelerating the growth of the Company's worldwide business.1950s … Packaging innovationsFor the first time, consumers had choices of Coca-Colapackage size and type -- the traditional 6.5-ounce contour bottle, or larger servings including 10-, 12- and 26-ounce versions. Cans were also introduced, becoming generally available in 1960.

20. 1960s … New brands introducedFollowing Fanta® in the 1950s, Sprite®, Minute Maid®, Fresca® and TaB® joined brandCoca-Cola in the 1960s. Mr. Pibb® and Mello Yello® were added in the 1970s. The 1980s brought diet Coke® and Cherry Coke®, followed by POWERADE® and DASANI® in the 1990s. Today hundreds of other brands are offered to meet consumer preferences in local markets around the world.1970s and 80s … Consolidation to serve customersAs technology led to a global economy, the retailers who sold Coca-Cola merged and evolved into international mega-chains. Such customers required a new approach. In response, many small and medium-size bottlers consolidated to better serve giant international customers. The Company encouraged and invested in a number of bottler consolidations to assure that its largest bottling partners would have capacity to lead the system in working with global retailers.

21. 1990s … New and growing marketsPolitical and economic changes opened vast markets that were closed or underdeveloped for decades. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Company invested heavily to build plants in Eastern Europe. And as the century closed, more than $1.5 billion was committed to new bottling facilities in Africa.21st Century …The Coca-Cola bottling system grew up with roots deeply planted in local communities. This heritage serves the Company well today as people seek brands that honor local identity and the distinctiveness of local markets. As was true a century ago, strong locally based relationships between Coca-Cola bottlers, customers and communities are the foundation on which the entire business grows.

22. MISSION , VISION & VALUESThe world is changing all around us. To continue to thrive as a business over the next ten years and beyond, we must look ahead, understand the trends and forces that will shape our business in the future and move swiftly to prepare for what's to come. We must get ready for tomorrow today. That's what our 2020 Vision is all about. It creates a long-term destination for our business and provides us with a "Roadmap" for winning together with our bottling partners.

23. Our MissionOur Roadmap starts with our mission, which is enduring. It declares our purpose as a company and serves as the standard against which we weigh our actions and decisions.- To refresh the world...- To inspire moments of optimism and happiness...- To create value and make a difference.

24. Our Vision Our vision serves as the framework for our Roadmap and guides every aspect of our business by describing what we need to accomplish in order to continue achieving sustainable, quality growth.People: Be a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be.Portfolio: Bring to the world a portfolio of quality beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy people's desires and needs.Partners: Nurture a winning network of customers and suppliers, together we create mutual, enduring value.Planet: Be a responsible citizen that makes a difference by helping build and support sustainable communities.Profit: Maximize long-term return to shareowners while being mindful of our overall responsibilities.Productivity: Be a highly effective, lean and fast-moving organization.

25. Our Winning CultureOur Winning Culture defines the attitudes and behaviors that will be required of us to make our 2020 Vision a reality. Live Our Values Our values serve as a compass for our actions and describe how we behave in the world.Leadership: The courage to shape a better futureCollaboration: Leverage collective geniusIntegrity: Be realAccountability: If it is to be, it's up to mePassion: Committed in heart and mindDiversity: As inclusive as our brandsQuality: What we do, we do well

26. Focus on the Market Focus on needs of our consumers, customers and franchise partnersGet out into the market and listen, observe and learnPossess a world viewFocus on execution in the marketplace every dayBe insatiably curiousWork SmartAct with urgencyRemain responsive to changeHave the courage to change course when neededRemain constructively discontentWork efficiently

27. Act Like OwnersBe accountable for our actions and inactionsSteward system assets and focus on building valueReward our people for taking risks and finding better ways to solve problemsLearn from our outcomes -- what worked and what didn’tBe the BrandInspire creativity, passion, optimism and fun