Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is a carbonated, caffeinated soft drink produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was invented in the nineteenth century by John Stith Pemberton but the rights to it were later purchased by Asa Griggs Candler, who incorporated the Coca-Cola Company in 1888.

Pemberton originally intended it as a medicine rather than a regular drink. It was called Coca-Cola because it originally contained cocaine, although that substance was soon removed from the recipe. It is made out of carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, cola, phosphoric acid and caffeine. The Coca-Cola bottle was designed early in the twentieth century by designer Earl R. Dean.

Later on a rival soft drink company called Pepsi sprang up; Pepsi was invented in the 1890s and trademarked in 1903. The Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi economic wars became famous.

During the Cold War the Soviet Communists chose Pepsi as their national soft drink franchise whereas the Chinese Communists chose Coca-Cola. Pepsi has done a better job than Coca-Cola in the non-soft drink and non-caffeinated market, but Coca-Cola does have a presence there. Coca-Cola owns Powerade, which is its equivalent of Pepsi's Gatorade.

The Coca-Cola Company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.