History of Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola was invented by pharmacist John Pemberton in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia, originally as a syrup sold at soda fountains. The drink became bottled in 1894 and expanded across the United States through franchise bottling agreements. The Coca-Cola Company incorporated in 1892, and the distinctive contour bottle design introduced in 1915 became one of the brand’s widely recognised trademarks. Early international expansion brought the brand to markets in Europe, Asia, and Latin America during the early 20th century.
Through the mid-20th century, Coca-Cola built global distribution through its franchise bottling model, partnering with regional producers to manufacture and distribute its concentrate. Sponsorship of major events including the Olympic Games extended its reach across consumer markets worldwide. The company expanded its product portfolio over the decades to include Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid, and a range of water and juice brands, alongside variants of its flagship cola product such as Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.
Today, Coca-Cola operates across more than 200 countries and manages a portfolio of over 500 brands. It has faced scrutiny in various markets over plastic packaging waste, water usage at bottling facilities, and the environmental impact of its operations. The company has announced targets around increasing recycled content in packaging and reducing carbon emissions, though environmental groups have questioned the pace and scope of these changes.
Coca-Cola entered the Israeli market in 1966 and operates a bottling plant in the Atarot Industrial Zone in East Jerusalem, an area the United Nations considers to be under Israeli military occupation. In 1997, the Government of Israel Economic Mission recognised the company for its continuous support of Israel over the previous three decades, including for not complying with an Arab League boycott of Israel.