11 Coca-Cola Fun Facts You Never Knew

If you live on this planet, you probably have tasted Coca-Cola more than once in your life.

Coca-Cola, one of the world's most known and loved beverages, was invented by Dr. John S. Pemberton, who was a chemist in Atlanta, Georgia.

The first bottle was sold on May 8 in 1886, and the rest is history.

Here are some fun facts about one of the top brands in the world.

Everyone knows it

The name "Coca-Cola" is a phrase that is known worldwide. In fact, it is the second most known word after "OK."

Wherever you ask for a Coke, you can be sure you'll get what you asked for. You can almost find it everywhere, except in two countries, Cuba and North Korea.

It started as a medicine

When Dr. Pemberton came up with the recipe, he named the product at first "Pemberton's French Wine Coca" and sold it as a medicine to cure colds, indigestion, and nerve disorders. Coca-Cola was also marketed as a drink that can give more energy to people.

In the early days, if one wanted to drink Coke, they had to visit the soda fountain counter at their local pharmacy.

Iconic bottle & logo

Frank M. Robinson was Dr. Pemberton's bookkeeper and was the one that came up with the name Coca-Cola, and he also designed the logo.

In the early days, competitors copied Coca-Cola, and the company wanted to create a bottle with a unique design.

The brief they gave to the designers was to "develop a bottle so distinct that you would recognize if by feel in the dark or lying broken on the ground."

How amazing is that? They wanted everyone to recognize the bottle even if it would be broken into pieces.

The bottle was initially shaped like a cocoa bean.

The recipe is secret

Although many Coke recipes were published claiming to be the original, the formula remains a mystery.

The recipe is a well-kept secret known only to a few employees. Some argue that only two people in the world know it and never travel together. However, most likely, this probably isn't true.

Dr. Pemberton shared the original formula with at least four people before his death in 1888.

The original recipe is kept in a high-tech vault in the World of Coca-Cola Museum located in Atlanta, Georgia.

The original recipe included cocaine

Coke's key ingredient in the original formula was cocaine.

Don't worry. You won't get high by drinking your favorite Coke.

The company changed the recipe over 100 years ago in 1903 and eliminated it from the formula.

However, coca leaves are still used in the drink that gives Cola its original taste.

What is Cola?

Cola, the second word in the famous name, comes from the kola nut, a West African nut full of caffeine.

The ingredient was included in the original recipe but probably isn't used anymore. It is said that it has been replaced by synthetic chemicals that imitate the taste.

Coca-Cola doesn't taste the same in every country

If you travel a lot, you probably wondered why Coke doesn't taste the same in every country.

Is it just you, or is there a difference in the recipe? Not every country uses the exact same formula.

The taste is adjusted to the culture and preferences of each country. For example, in Mexico, sugarcane is used, contrary to the US formula, which contains high-fructose corn syrup.

There are also variations in the sweetness. In some Asian countries, the taste is sweeter.

Coca-Cola has a great variety of products

The company produces more than 3.500 beverages and 500 brands. Some of them are Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes, Appetizer, Fuze Tea, Powerade, Fresca, Barg's, Dasani, Smartwater, Minute Maid, and many more.

Coca-Cola alone has so many varieties and flavors, from Cherry, Orange Vanilla to Coca-Cola Clear, a colorless diet variation with a lemon taste instead of the classic caramel sold mainly in Japan and few other countries.

Iconic Ads

Coca- Cola focuses its advertising on the brand over the product and associates Coke's consumption with positive emotions.

Every ad campaign is uniquely designed, and we all can recall one.

In fact, Coke, with its Christmas ads, shaped the character of Santa Claus as we know it today.

Before 1931 Santa was mainly depicted as a spooky-looking elf.

Olympic Games

Coca-Cola was the first company to ever sponsor the Olympic Games. It was in the summer Olympic Games in Amsterdam.

Coke in outer space

In 1985 Coca-Cola traveled to outer space and became the first soft drink ever consumed beyond earth.

Astronauts in the Space Shuttle Challenger drank Coke from specially designed cans that could be used in such conditions.