The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational corporation founded in January 1892, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It manufactures, sells and markets soft drinks including Coca-Cola, other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, and alcoholic beverages. Its stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is a component of the DJIA and the S&P 500 and S&P 100 indices.
Coca-Cola was developed in May 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton. At the time it was introduced, the product contained the stimulants cocaine from coca leaves and caffeine from kola nuts, which together acted synergistically. The coca and the kola are the source of the product name and led to Coca-Cola's promotion as a "healthy tonic". In 1889, the formula and brand were sold for $2,300 () to Asa Griggs Candler, who incorporated the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta in 1892. The company has operated a franchised distribution system since 1889. The global corporation has grown to market and sell over 500 drinks and brands across 200 countries by 2020.
The company largely produces syrup concentrate, which is then sold to various bottlers throughout the world who hold exclusive territories. The company is well known for its marketing and sponsorship programs, being a major sponsor in Global sporting events like the FIFA World Cup. The large scale of the country, and wide distribution, has also drawn criticism, including for failing to address sustainability and the health impacts of their products. Each year Coca-Cola brands produce 3 million tonnes of plastic packaging each year including 110 billion plastic bottles. A 2024 study found that over 11% of branded plastic materials found as plastic pollution, came from Coca Cola.
History
In July 1886, pharmacist John Stith Pemberton from Columbus, Georgia, invented the original Coca-Cola drink, which was advertised as helpful in the relief of headaches and to be placed on sale primarily in drugstores as a medicinal beverage. Pemberton had made many mixing experiments and reached his goal during the month of May, but the new product was as yet unnamed and uncarbonated. Pemberton's bookkeeper, Frank Mason Robinson, is credited with naming the product and creating its logo. Robinson chose the name Coca-Cola because of its two main ingredients (coca leaves and kola nuts) and because it is an alliteration. John Pemberton had taken a break and left Robinson to make, promote, and sell Coca-Cola on his own. Robinson promoted the drink with the limited budget that he had and succeeded.
American businessman Asa Griggs Candler purchased the Coca-Cola formula and brand, forming the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta in 1892. By 1895, Coca-Cola was being sold nationwide. In 1919, the company was sold to Ernest Woodruff's Trust Company of Georgia, after which it was soon reincorporated under the Delaware General Corporation Law that same year.
Coca-Cola's first ad read, "Coca-Cola. Delicious! Refreshing! Exhilarating! Invigorating!" Candler was one of the first businessmen to use merchandising in his advertising strategy. As of 1948, Coca-Cola had claimed about 60% of its market share. By 1984, the Coca-Cola Company's market share decreased to 21.8% due to new competitors.
The company's 29-story headquarters building in Atlanta, known as One Coca-Cola Plaza, was designed by FABRAP and completed in 1980.
Acquisitions Coca-Cola acquired Minute Maid in 1960 for an undisclosed amount. In 1982, it acquired the movie studio Columbia Pictures for $692 million. Coca-Cola then launched a series of entertainment takeovers, namely Merv Griffin Enterprises and Embassy Communications in the mid-1980s, forming the Entertainment Business Sector, which would later merge with Tri-Star Pictures to start out Columbia Pictures Entertainment, with CPE holding a stake in the company. Coca-Cola sold Columbia to Sony for $1.5 billion in 1989. In 1986, Coke sold off two assets, namely Presto Products and Winker-Flexible Products, to an investment group led by E.O. Gaylord for $38 million.
The company acquired the Indian cola brand Thums Up in 1993, and the American soda company Barq's in 1995.Barq's Root Beer: History , Coca-Cola. Retrieved January 2, 2013. In 1999, Coca-Cola purchased 50% of the shares of Inca Kola for $200 million, subsequently taking control of overseas marketing and production for the brand. In 2001, it acquired the Odwalla brand of fruit juices, smoothies, and bars for $181 million."Coke Buys Odwalla" . (October 30, 2001).CNN Money. It announced Odwalla's discontinuation in 2020. In 2007, it acquired Fuze Beverage from founder Lance Collins and Castanea Partners for an estimated $250 million."Coca-Cola Buys Fuze Beverage" . (February 12, 2007) Boulder Daily Camera.
The company's 2009 bid to buy Chinese juice maker Huiyuan Juice Group ended when China rejected its $2.4 billion bid, on the grounds the resulting company would be a virtual monopoly. Nationalism was also thought to be a reason for aborting the deal.
In 2011, it acquired the remaining stake in Honest Tea, having bought a 40% stake in 2008 for $43 million. In 2013, it finalized its purchase of ZICO, a coconut water company. In August 2014, it acquired a 16.7% (currently 19.36% due to stock buy backs) stake in Monster Beverage for $2.15 billion with an option to increase it to 25%, as part of a long-term strategic partnership that includes marketing and distribution alliance, and product line swap. In 2015, the company took a minority stake ownership in the cold pressed juice manufacturer, Suja Life LLC. In December 2016, it bought many of the former SABMiller's Coca-Cola operations. The Coca-Cola Company owns a 68.3% stake in Coca-Cola Bottlers Africa. Coca-Cola Bottlers Africa is headquartered in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
The Coca-Cola Company acquired a 40% stake in Nigerian snack and beverage company Chi Limited on January 30, 2016. The Coca-Cola Company acquired the remaining 60% stake in Chi Ltd on January 30, 2019. In 2017, the Coca-Cola Company acquired Mexican sparkling water brand Topo Chico. On August 31, 2018, it agreed to acquire Costa Coffee from Whitbread for £3.9bn. The acquisition closed on January 3, 2019. During August 2018, the Coca-Cola Company acquired Moxie for an undisclosed amount. On August 14, 2018, the Coca-Cola Company announced a minority interest in Bodyarmor. On September 19, 2018, the Coca-Cola Company acquired Organic & Raw Trading Co. Pty Ltd, the manufacturer of Mojo Kombucha in Willunga, Australia. In 2022 Coca-Cola shut down production of Mojo.
Revenue and sales
+Sales by region (2024)RegionshareNorth America38.7%Europe, Middle East and Africa16.8%Latin America13.4%Asia–Pacific11.5%Unallocated19.4% According to the Coca-Cola Company's 2005 annual report, it had sold beverage products in more than 200 countries that year. The 2005 report further states that of the approximately 50 billion beverage servings of all types consumed worldwide daily, beverages bearing the trademarks owned by or licensed to Coca-Cola account for more than 1.3 billion. Of these, beverages bearing the trademark "Coca-Cola" or "Coke" accounted for approximately 55% of the company's total gallon sales.
In 2010, it was announced that Coca-Cola had become the first brand to top £1 billion in annual UK grocery sales. In 2017, Coca-Cola sales were down 11% from the year before due to consumer tastes shifting away from sugary drinks.
YearRevenuein million US$Net incomein million US$Price per Sharein USDEmployees200017,3542,17714.41200117,5453,96912.83200219,3943,05013.32200320,8574,34712.02200421,7424,84712.91200523,1044,87212.18200624,0885,08012.85200728,8575,98116.1990,500200831,9445,80716.5992,400200930,990 6,82415.5692,800201035,11911,78718.61139,600201146,5428,58422.59146,200201248,0179,01925.83150,900201346,8548,58428.43130,600201445,9987,09830.15129,200201544,2947,35131.39123,200201641,8636,52734.20100,300201735,4101,24836.0261,800201834,3006,43438.1462,600201937,2668,92044.1486,200202033,0147,74744.7580,300202138,6559,77150.0879,000202243,0047,74758.8582,500202345,75410,71458.8179,100202447,06110,63169,700
Stock
Since 1919, Coca-Cola has been a publicly traded company. Its stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "KO". One share of stock purchased in 1919 for $40, with all dividends reinvested, would have been worth $9.8 million in 2012, a 10.7% annual increase adjusted for inflation. A predecessor bank of SunTrust received $100,000 for underwriting Coca-Cola's 1919 public offering; the bank sold that stock for over $2 billion in 2012. In 1987, Coca-Cola once again became one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is commonly referenced as a proxy for stock market performance; it had previously been a Dow stock from 1932 to 1935. Coca-Cola has paid a dividend since 1920 and, as of 2019, had increased it each year for 57 years straight.
Shareholders The 10 largest shareholder of Coca-Cola in March 2025 were: Shareholder namePercentageBerkshire Hathaway9.3%The Vanguard Group8.4%BlackRock5.6%State Street Corporation3.8%J.P. Morgan Asset Management2.2%Geode Capital Management2.1%Fidelity Investments1.9%Eaton Vance1.9%Charles Schwab Corporation1.7%Norges Bank1.3%Others61.8%
Staff and management
The following are key management as of May 2026:
The following are all directors as of May 2026:
Bottlers
In general, the Coca-Cola Company and its subsidiaries only produce syrup concentrate, as well as source beverage bases, including coffee beans, tea leaves, juices, etc., which are then sold to various bottlers throughout the world who hold a local Coca-Cola franchise. Coca-Cola bottlers, who hold territorially exclusive contracts with the company, produce the finished product in packages from the concentrate and beverage base, in combination with filtered water and sweeteners. The bottlers then sell, distribute, and merchandise the Coca-Cola product to retail stores, vending machines, restaurants, and food service distributors. Outside the United States, these bottlers also control the fountain business, while in the U.S., the company bypasses bottlers by manufacturing and selling fountain syrups directly to authorized fountain wholesalers and some fountain retailers.
Since the 1980s, the company has actively encouraged the consolidation of bottlers, with the company often owning a share of these "anchor bottlers".
In January 2006, the company formed the Bottling Investments Group (BIG) to strategically invest in select bottling operations, temporarily taking them under Coca-Cola ownership and utilizing the leadership and resources of the company. Also, the company has accelerated re-franchising both company-owned bottlers and independent bottlers to consolidate their operations and move away from the capital-intensive and low-margin business of bottling, while maintaining minor share ownership of these consolidated bottlers and securing the right to nominate directors and executives.Coca-Cola European Partners F-4 Registration of securities, foreign private issuers, business combinations, December 15, 2015Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, F-4, February 24, 2027, ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF CAPITAL AND BUSINESS ALLIANCE AGREEMENT
In September 2015, the company announced the sale of several production plants and territories to large independent bottlers and the creation of the Coca-Cola National Product Supply System, which controls 95% of the territory in the United States.
As a result of these re-franchisings and bottler consolidations, large-scale multinational bottlers and a small number of U.S.-based bottlers now dominate the manufacturing and distribution of the company's products except in the territories managed by BIG bottlers.
Large-scale multinational bottlers include: