Introduction - Coca Cola

The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia. The Coca-Cola formula and brand was bought in 1889 by Asa Candler who incorporated The Coca-Cola Company in 1892.

The Coca-Cola Company offers more than 500 brands in over 200 countries, besides its namesake Coca-Cola beverage.

Coca Cola was the leading soft drink brand in India until 1977 when it left rather than reveal its formula to the government and reduce its equity stake as required under the FERA which governed the operations of foreign companies in India.

The Coca-Cola Company re-entered India through its wholly owned subsidiary, Coca-Cola India Private Limited and re-launched Coca-Cola in 1993 after the opening up of the Indian economy to foreign investments in 1991. Since then its operations have grown rapidly through a model that supports bottling operations, both company owned as well as locally owned and includes over 7,000 Indian distributors and more than 1.3 million retailers.

The Coca-Cola Company’s brands in India include Coca-Cola, Fanta Orange, Fanta Apple, Limca, Sprite, Thums Up, Burn, Kinley, Maaza, Maaza Milky Delite, Minute Maid Pulpy Orange, Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh and Nestea Iced tea, the Georgia Gold range of teas and coffees and Vitingo (a beverage fortified with micro-nutrients).

Coca Cola, being the leader in the market is also awarded as the best marketed product. It enjoys the largest market share in the global market.

By using various marketing strategies over the years, coca cola has become the 2^nd most recognised work after “OK” in the world