The above image is believed to be a copy
of the first coupon ever … From 1888
According to the annals of The Coca-Cola Company, on May 8, 1886, a pharmacist by the name of John Pemberton of Atlanta, Georgia took a jug of Coca-Cola syrup to Jacobs’ Pharmacy in downtown Atlanta which he had concocted it in a 3 legged bras kettle in his back yard no less; once the jug was delivered to the pharmacy it was mixed with carbonated water and sold for five cents a glass.
Pemberton’s bookkeeper, named Frank Robinson, is said to have suggested calling the mixture: “Coca Cola” because the key ingredients included Kola Nuts (a natural source of caffeine) and 9 fresh Coca Leaves; so the old "wives tale" about Coke once being laced with Cocaine appears to be true.
It was originally sold as a medicine or a remedy for bad health at the drug store’s soda fountain. Such fountains were popular in the United States at the time because it was believed that carbonated water was good for ones health. Pemberton, being the good pharmacist that I’m sure he was, claimed Coca-Cola cured almost everything; including morphine addiction, headaches, impotence, depression, and fatigue.
During the first 12 months that the drink was available, an average of nine (9) glasses a day were sold which resulted in a monetary loss that first year for Pemberton which is probably in large part the reason that he sold the formula to another Atlanta pharmacist and business man by the name of Asa Candler in 1887.
The drink continued to be marketed as a tonic, because it contained extracts of cocaine (from coca leaves used in the mix) as well as a high concentration of caffeine (from the kola nut) until 1905 when the cocaine was removed from the formula but the caffeine continues to be available today.
In those days, small town and big city dwellers alike bought and consumed carbonated beverages at the local soda fountain which could be found in the local drug store; the soda fountain counter served as a meeting place for people of all ages and served both food and drinks such as Coke Cola, but as bottled soft drinks, and fast food restaurants became popular this charming environment faded away.
In April of 1985, Coca-Cola, attempted to change the formula of the drink with a product they called "New Coke". Coke-Cola tried this because many blind taste tests had revealed that the majority of consumers preferred the taste of New Coke to both Coke and Pepsi (their chief competitor), but Coca-Cola management was not prepared for the public's nostalgia for the old drink, which quickly lead to a reduction in sales. Shortly there after, the company gave in to protests and returned to the old formula, which was marketed under the name “Coca-Cola Classic” in July of the same year.
Today’s formula of Coca-Cola's natural flavorings is a big trade secret. The original formula is said to be held in SunTrust Bank's main vault in Atlanta , Georgia
Though deriving from humble beginnings 125 years ago, The Coco-Cola Company has evolved from one product (Coca-Cola) to more than 500 brands being offered today. The company has grown from selling a modest 9 drinks a day in 1886 to more than 1.7 billion a day. And they’re no longer limited to sales in Atlanta
A real American success story, wouldn’t you say?
Sources …
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