Wherever you are, you can bear with me that Coca-Cola is there with you. I mean, this American brand has done well for itself and is recognized around the globe and is sold in more than 200 countries. Coca-Cola, a flavored syrup combined with carbonated water that was invented by Atlanta druggist John S. Pemberton in 1886 and has gone on to become one of the most beloved refreshments of the modern world.
1. There used to be Coke in Coke.
To clarify, yes! I’m talking about Cocaine. There used to be cocaine in Coca-Cola but not anymore; the company wisely removed the cocaine ingredient from Coke around 1903. Lol, chill. As at that time, cocaine wasn’t illegal and society believed it had some medicinal properties, hence its inclusion in a variety of products. It was banned in 1914. Right now it’s not added to the drinks…
2. Over 1 billion bottles are consumed worldwide
Over a billion bottles of Coke is consumed annually, with Mexico being the country that consumes the product the most.
3. It cannot be found in every country…
You know how we started the article by saying that Coke is sold in about 200 countries? Well, Cuba (since 1962) and North Korea (since 1950) are the only two countries in the world where Coca-Cola cannot be bought or sold. If any drinks are being sold in either North Korea or Cuba, they are being smuggled in on the black market, not via official channels.
4. The famous bottle was originally shaped like a cocoa bean.
The first bottle they used was used by other brands and so people had trouble telling them apart. To alleviate the problem, Coke advised bottling partners to try and come up with a design that could be recognized by feel as someone dipped their hands into an icebox. A bottling plant in Indiana designed a chunky glass container shaped like a cocoa bean in 1916. They didn’t know Coca-Cola contained no actual cocoa.
5. The cans were invented for soldiers
The aluminium pull-top cans were born out of necessity. The company came up with them so they could be shipped to armed forces overseas. The materials needed were rationed during World War II and the company couldn’t produce them for troops until the conflict ended. Convenient and easily distributed, Coca-Cola began offering them to civilian customers in 1960.
6. They once made clear coke for a Russian General
General Dwight Eisenhower introduced Coke to Georgy Zhukov, a Russian general who had resisted Nazi forces. Zhukov loved Coke but feared Stalinist-era Russia would frown upon his enjoying a distinctly American and capitalist product. He requested Coke to produce the drink for him in a plain bottle and make it colourless to resemble vodka; Coke complied. Russians didn’t get the Classic version until 1985.
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