Coca Cola is an important part of modern life. No matter what country you step into you can always feel a little bit of comfort when you recognize Coca-Cola in the shop window. This drink has become a symbol of America, a lesson in marketing success, and a magnet for many urban legends. Let’s dive in and find out some fun facts about Coca Cola that are actually true.
It is available in every country in the world
There are few products that have such appeal that they can be found and are popular in every country in the world, yet Coca Cola is one of them. Officially the product is not available in North Korea or Cuba but for those of you who have been to either country, you will know that it is indeed on sale there.
Although Coca-Cola does not officially send the product to these countries and license them to sell it, it is shipped in from other countries and is widely available.
It did have cocaine in it
Coca-cola used to be made with the coca leaf which is where cocaine is derived. This means that there were approximately 9 milligrams of cocaine in a glass of coke. This was far below the level required to feel any effect but was still removed completely in 1905. Today Coca-Cola uses a coca leaf extract that is entirely cocaine-free
The Chinese market
For any American product, the Chinese market is seen as a mountain to climb. With around 1 billion people residing in China it is a larger market that is continuing to grow. If you can cultivate demand in China it is like having a whole new business. Yet the culture and taste preferences are so different that it can be difficult to enter. However, Coca Cola found it relatively easy. They spent a lot of time choosing the name to launch with there and in the end chose very wisely. While they toyed with the idea of Kekoukela, which sounds similar, they decided against it when they realized it meant “female horse stuffed with wax”.Luckily by changing it to Kekoukele they had the perfect name as it means, “tasty fun”.
The classic flavor
Everyone is aware and has tried the original taste of Coca-Cola yet there are many other flavors too. In total there have been 16 different flavors of Coca-Cola with coffee flavor one of the least successful to date. Coca-Cola has said they plan to release a new coffee-flavored version in the near future.
The white coke
One flavor of coke you may never have heard about was white coke. The drink is well known for its black color and the idea of the company releasing a white version boggles the mind yet that is exactly what they did during World War Two. The story goes that the Soviet Union wanted to supply the drink to its soldiers but didn’t want them to be seen drinking a symbol of America. As a workaround, Coca-Cola agreed to make a clear version of the drink which ended up being a huge success.
The best Coca-Cola
There is endless debate about where to find the best tasting Coca-Cola. We all have our favorite shop to get it from or a takeaway we are fond of. Yet for anyone who thinks McDonald’s is the best place, you are probably right. The company has a special agreement with Coca-Cola where they receive the syrup in stainless steel containers (while others receive plastic bags). They use insulated tubes to circulate the syrup while others don’t. Finally, they use an excellent filtration system to add pure water to the syrup.
