Coca Cola
Hey there, young ones! Let me tell you a story about a man named John Pemberton and how he invented one of the most famous drinks in the world!
It was May 8, 1886, and the Civil War had been over for more than 20 years. Grover Cleveland was the President of the United States, and in Atlanta, Georgia, John Pemberton was busy in his backyard. John was a pharmacist who had already invented some medicines> But he wanted to create something that could help people who drank too much alcohol.
Using a boat oar to stir, John cooked up a mixture in a brass kettle heated over an open fire. After a while, he created a new medicine that could relieve exhaustion, help the nervous, and soothe headaches. He took his new medicine to Jacobs Pharmacy, where he worked as a pharmacist. He asked his assistant, Venable, to mix the syrup with water and chill it with ice. They tasted it, and both of them agreed it was delicious.
But when Venable mixed another glass, he accidentally added carbonated water instead of plain water. This time, the men became excited. They decided that instead of offering the beverage as a headache remedy, they would sell it as a fountain drink, which could be an alternative to ginger ale and root beer. They named it Coca-Cola after the coca leaves and cola nuts it contained.
At first, Coca-Cola didn’t sell well. In 1886, the sales averaged nine drinks a day, and John sold only 25 gallons of syrup that first year, taking in $50. However, he spent $73.96 on advertising. But as time went by, more and more people started to love the taste of Coca-Cola, and its sales increased.
Today, people in 155 countries drink 393 million Coca-Cola soft drinks every day! Isn’t that amazing? John Pemberton’s invention is not famous as a headache remedy or exhaustion relief. Instead, it’s one of the world’s favorite beverages.
So, the next time you take a sip of Coca-Cola, remember how it was invented and how it became one of the most popular drinks in the world!
