Coca Cola Environmental and Industry Analysis

The Coca-Cola Company

Environmental and Industry Analysis

September 30, 2016

Company History

        Coca Cola’s creation began back in the summer of 1886.  John Pemberton, a local pharmacist in Atlanta, created the concoction out of pure curiosity.  One day Pemberton mixed up a “fragrant, caramel-colored liquid” and distributed amongst his colleagues at the pharmacy (Staff). According to Staff, the products mixture was a combination of carbonated water and sampled by customers who all believed that they have found something worth sharing with everyone.  The group decided that that the beverage was a great idea and decided to sell it in stores.  Pemberton registered his creation as Coca wine and continued to sell the product at the pharmacy.  

Coca wine was initially sold for five cents and marketed as a product that claimed to cure certain diseases.  After prohibition was passed, Pemberton created a non-alcoholic version of the beverage and named it Coca Cola.  The popularity of the drink begins to grow and the beverage began to advertise in the newspapers.  Coca Cola’s popularity continued to grow and began to be distributed in more businesses.  As the brand continued to increase in sales, numerous businesses became interested in the product.  Pemberton and associates ended up selling a portion of the rights to Atlanta businessman, Asa Candler.

 Candler became Coca-Cola’s first president and Staff suggests that Candler was the first to bring a real vision to the business and the brand.  Candler was a brilliant businessman and created different strategies to get Coca Cola in many consumer’s hands.  Candler began distributing coupons to consumers to allow them to taste the new product for free.  He also began to advertise the product on merchandise sold in the businesses.  In 1888, Pembleton became ill and died, Candler took the opportunity to purchase all of the rights to become the sole owner of the company.  Candler was approached by fellow businessman, Joseph Biedenharn, with the idea of putting Coca Cola in bottles and distributing.  The idea of allowing consumers to take the product with them to consume at their pleasure helped to expand the market for Coca Cola.  

The bottling of Coca Cola took place at Biedenharn Candy Company located in Vicksburg, Mississippi.  Coca Cola continued to be bottled at the Vicksburg location until 1899 when the first Coca Cola bottling company was open in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With all great inventions, there were bound to be imitators.  Staff suggests that when Coca-Cola began to grow and become popular, copycats began to appear eager to capitalize on their success.  The company set out to separate themselves from the imitators.  Coca Cola enlisted the services of bottle makers to create a distinct bottle that the brand would be recognized by.  The Root Glass Company of Indiana created the unique glass that is still to this day synonymous with the brand of Coca Cola.  The creation of the distinct bottle was a hit and the popularity of the drink continued to grow and expand to other countries and U.S. territories with Coca Cola opening up more bottling companies.