Originally Created by a Pharmacist!
Russian Chicago Magazine | FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2013 | issue # 89 russianchicagomag.com
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s oft drink, popular all over the world, was once created by a Pharmacist. A long time ago in 1886, a pharmacist named Dr. John Stith Pemberton formulated a syrup, and took it down the street to Jacob’s pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia. Back in those days, pharmacies had soda fountains, where a customer could sit down at the counter and socially enjoy a carbonated beverage, for five cents per glass. The concept Vlada Korol of the pharmacy soda fountain became an American classic, and is often depicted in pictures of those times. The idea of having a soda at the pharmacy became even more popular during the years of Prohibition, when consumption of alcohol was out-lawd in United States. When Dr. Pemberton’s new creation was sampled at Jacob’s Pharmacy it was described as “Delicious and Refreshing, well over a hundred years later it is “a theme that continues to echo today wherever Coca-Cola is enjoyed.”(1) Frank M. Robinson, Dr. Pemberton’s partner and bookkeeper, scripted the name “Coca Cola”, just like it is written on bottles today, and advised to trademark the name. They started marketing the refreshing drink in newspapers and hung signs in pharmacy and store windows. Despite the initial advertising efforts, “the first year, sales averaged a modest nine drinks per day.”(1) At the time, Dr. Pemberton couldn’t imagine how popular his product would become in the future. Hence, he sold off sections of his business to partners, with the biggest portion of Coca Cola going to Asa G. Candler, who eventually controlled the entire company. Candler, was an excellent marketer, “the Coca Cola Company increased syrup sales by over 4000% between 1890 and 1900.”(2) At the turn of the century, it was the most popular fountain drink in the entire country. The company went international with the idea to sell Coca Cola in the syrup form, and allow the individual bottling companies to add the water; this concept is still practiced today. Eventually, already bottled Coca Cola was sold at stores and became main-stream at restaurants in 1960’s.
The “New Coke” a super secret formula was released in 1985. “Today, products of the Coca Cola Company are consumed at the rate of more than one billion drinks per day.”(2) What led Dr. John Pemberton a pharmacist to create this beverage, was Coca Cola thought to be health related? Did CocaCola originally have cocaine in it? John Pemberton was a Colonel in the Civil war, after being wounded, he got addicted morphine. He was on a mission to find a product less dangerous than morphine. The original formula for Coca Cola, was presented as a “nerve tonic.”(3) It was generally believed that carbonated water was good for the health. At pharmacy soda fountains the syrup was mixed with carbonated water. “Pemberton claimed Coca-Cola cured many diseases, including morphine addiction, dyspepsia, neurasthenia, headache, and impotence.”(3) “Coca leaves were used in Coca-Cola’s preparation and the small amount of cocaine present in the product gave the drinker a buzz.”(4) Over the years and with pressure from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “in 1903 Coca-Cola removed cocaine from the formula, substituting caffeine as the stimulating ingredient” and the claim of “health benefits was removed.”(4) Ever since Coca Cola was created in 1886, the exact formula has always been a well kept secret. For years, it was only known to a small group of people and not written on paper. Asa Candler, was the owner of Coca Cola after Dr. Pemberton, Candler’s son sold the company to Ernest Woodruff and investment group in 1919. In order to complete the sale, it was absolutely necessary for Candler to write the formula on paper. This written formula was stored in a number of bank vaults for almost a century. “On December 8, 2011, the Coca-Cola Company moved the secret formula to a purpose built vault in a permanent interactive exhibit at the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta.”(4)