Here is a concise summary:
The story begins with John Pemberton, a physician who created Coca-Cola in the late 1800s. Pemberton was a veteran of the Civil War and became addicted to morphine after being wounded. He sought a herbal remedy to cure his addiction and created a drink called Pemberton's French Wine Coca, which contained coca leaves, red wine, and cola nuts. When Atlanta banned alcohol, Pemberton removed the wine and created the iconic Coca-Cola formula.
Initially, the business struggled, but with the help of his bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, Pemberton launched the drink and it became popular. However, Pemberton's health declined, and he sold the company to Asa Candler, who expanded the business and introduced the contour bottle. The company continued to grow, and under the leadership of Robert Woodruff, it removed cocaine from the formula and successfully marketed the drink globally.
Today, Coca-Cola is a $74 billion brand, recognized as a national symbol of America, and one of the most recognized brands in the world. The story is a testament to the power of innovation, perseverance, and leadership in building a successful business.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Dr. John Pemberton, a physician, created Coca-Cola in the 1800s.
2. Pemberton was born in 1831 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
3. He received his license to practice Thomsonian medicine at the age of 19.
4. Pemberton served in the Civil War and was injured in battle.
5. He was given morphine to ease his pain and became addicted to it.
6. Pemberton looked for a herbal remedy to cure his addiction and discovered Vin Mariani, a drink that contained coca leaves and red wine.
7. He created his own version of the drink using coca leaves, red wine, and cola nuts, which he called Pemberton's French Wine Coca.
8. Cocoa leaves were known to act as a stimulant and suppress hunger, thirst, fatigue, and pain.
9. Pemberton became a senior member of a pharmaceutical firm in Atlanta and was known as the most famous physician in the city.
10. However, behind closed doors, Pemberton struggled with his morphine addiction and looked for a way to cure it.
11. He created Coca-Cola as a remedy to cure addiction, depression, anxiety, and other ailments.
12. Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, suggested changing the name to Coca-Cola and insistent on spelling it with two C's.
13. Coca-Cola was initially a failure, with only 50 sales in the first year.
14. Frank convinced Pemberton to market the drink through banners, streetcar placards, and store awnings.
15. Asa Candler, a wealthy entrepreneur, bought the rights to the Coca-Cola name and secret formula from Pemberton.
16. Asa expanded sales to more pharmacies and grocery stores and came up with the idea of giving out coupons for free samples.
17. Joseph Whitehead and Benjamin Thomas proposed bottling Coca-Cola, which Asa initially rejected.
18. Whitehead and Thomas eventually bottled Coca-Cola and made it a huge success.
19. Asa resigned from the company and handed it over to his children, who sold it to a group of investors for $25 million.
20. Ernest Woodruff, one of the investors, took the company public and streamlined production.
21. Robert Woodruff, Ernest's son, became the president of the company and removed cocaine from the formula.
22. Under Robert's leadership, the company launched metal top open coolers, six-bottle packs, and automatic fountain dispensers.
23. Coca-Cola succeeded in creating demand in Europe and became a global brand.
24. Today, Coca-Cola is the second most recognized brand in the world, with nearly 2 billion servings of its drinks served daily in over 200 countries.