Coca-Cola Company

Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company is one of the largest manufacturers, distributors and marketers of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups in the world. Coca-Cola’s headquarters are in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States of America. This product has been around for more than 100 years and for many people Coca-Cola has become indispensable in their lives. The company’s stock is listed on the NYSE and is part of DJIA and S&P 500. There are some important points to discuss about the importance of Coca-Cola.

The first Coca-Cola recipe was invented in Covington, Georgia by John Stith Pemberton, original as a cocawine in 1885. The same year, when Atlanta and Fulton County passed prohibition legislation on the product, Pemberton responded by developing Coca-Cola, essentially a carbonated, non-alcoholic version of French Wine Cola. The drink was named Coca-Cola because, originally, the stimulant mixed in the beverage was coca leaves from South America. In addition, the drink was flavored using kola nuts, also acting as the beverage’s source of caffeine. The first serving in 1887 cost $0.50. Coca-Cola once contained an estimated nine milligrams of cocaine per glass, but in 1903 it was removed. Now they use non-narcotic coca leaf extract.

The Coca-Cola Company offers more than 400 brands in over 200 countries. Most of the brands in the product portfolio are an extensive choice of non-alcoholic beverages that satisfy a variety of preferences and needs. Coca-Cola continues to expand the reach of the established brands of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) - Coca-Cola, diet (or light) Coke, Fanta and Sprite - to its consumers through new brand extensions and continued package innovation. At the same time, the company is investing with TCCC to expand its non-CSD range, both through local brand acquisitions, such as Multon juice in Russia, and new product innovation, such as entering into a new category by launching Amita Smoothies in Greece. To continue increasing its presence in these growing beverage categories, Coca-Cola acquired, jointly with TCCC, the leading juice brand in Serbia, Fresh & Co, in early 2006, as well as a high-quality mineral water provider in Italy. Further, as a result of a recent territorial expansion into Cyprus, the company is gaining ready entry into the dairy category. As part of its product innovation strategy, Coca-Cola launched a range of flavored waters, enriched with vitamins, under the RÐ"¶merquelle Emotion brand in Austria. Following the success of this product, the company has also launched a similar range of flavored waters under the Valser Viva brand in Switzerland. Coca-Cola HBC is also responding to consumer concerns over obesity and is focusing on better nutrition and a healthier lifestyle by increasing its investment in light/diet-carbonated soft drinks and non-carbonated soft drink beverage categories.

Recent news in The Coca-Cola Co. said Friday, October 26,2007, that earnings rose 7 percent in the third quarter as the soda bottler reduced operating expenses to offset increased packaging and sweetener costs. Earnings rose to $5.3 million, or 58 cents per share,