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Coca-Cola Starting this article isn't easy for me at all. Probably no other article I've written has such a long history. Some of you might be a little skeptical, but I still want to say something about Coca-Cola.
Some products from the Coca-Cola family
Why I'm reporting on Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola – a global brand, Germany's largest beverage manufacturer, and also my "secret love" for many years. My closer interest and desire for a "behind-the-scenes look" actually began when Coca-Cola gave me a sponsorship – one I hadn't originally intended to use it for, of course. Facebook post about my behavior regarding the deposit system I discovered it. That's how I got into a "conversation" and decided not just to drink Coca-Cola, but to "take a closer look." Too many prejudices and even personal concerns still swirl around the Coca-Cola company and its products. I wanted and still want to get to the bottom of this, and it was always clear to me that my beloved Coke Zero shouldn't completely replace water (Coca-Cola does that too!) and, for example, tea. To this day, Coke Zero Sugar in particular is the ideal treat for me. So what's behind it all, and what's the truth?
Why do some people roll their eyes and launch into health lectures and long stories about Coca-Cola? And why does it always feel a bit like I'm doing something that's not "allowed"? I wanted to understand this and tried to better understand Coca-Cola and what I drink every day. It's obvious that there's far more to this global corporation than one might superficially know. For example, Coca-Cola Germany offers over 80 non-alcoholic beverages, which many people certainly drink and enjoy every day or even just occasionally. It would take an incredible 10 years (!) to try a different Coca-Cola drink every day, given that their portfolio includes more than 3,800 different products worldwide, making Coca-Cola the world's largest provider of non-alcoholic beverages. I bet you drink Coca-Cola every now and then, too! 😉 Before we get down to brass tacks, I'd like to inform you a little and "amaze" you with a few facts about Coca-Cola.
The six-pack of drinks introduced by Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola History and Facts
Coca-Cola was founded in 1886, 100 years before I was even born (…a coincidence? ;-)…), by John Pemberton in Atlanta. In the early days, only a few glasses of Coca-Cola were served – for 5 cents each. It wasn't easy to get your hands on the popular drink back then. And it's true: only a handful of people know the formula for Coca-Cola, and the recipe is kept behind a thick, heavy vault door in Atlanta – the birthplace of Coca-Cola (…I'm on it… ;-)). The world-famous Coca-Cola logo, as we know it today, was created by Pemberton's former bookkeeper. He wielded his pen and developed the logo we still use today in 1886. Cool, right?
TIME Magazine from 1950
Next up is the fact that the six-pack – in drinkable form, that is – wouldn't exist without Coca-Cola. The company invented it in 1923, making it one of the most important inventions in the beverage (and male belly) industry. (Imagine having to make six trips to get six bottles! ;-)) Then, in 1963, 77 years after Coca-Cola's founding, "TaB," the first calorie-free version, was introduced, making Coca-Cola accessible to even more people. Something else I didn't know: you can travel to any country in the world – except Cuba and North Korea – and still find a Coke. When you consider how it all began and what's behind it, I find it – Coca-Cola or not – truly impressive.
In my opinion, the company was quite rightly the very first product to grace the cover of Time magazine in 1950. Incidentally, Fanta was invented in Germany (Essen) 10 years earlier, in 1940. Back then, it was made with whey and remains one of the world's most popular orange sodas (also available as a "zero" version, meaning it's sugar-free). I've tried it, of course, the "zero" version. Quite refreshing indeed, but definitely not Coca-Cola Zero Sugar! 😉 In Germany, Coke Light was first introduced in 1983, followed by Coke Zero in 2006. Coca-Cola has also been active in human rights. In 1955, they succeeded in placing Mary Alexander, the first African-American woman, in print advertising and were also the first company to feature working women in advertising. A Coca-Cola commercial, showing white and Black people together with a Coke, also made a statement regarding equality. Cool, and somehow unimaginable today that this was once considered "a courageous step," right?
Coca-Cola advertisement
Ah yes… Myth number 1: „Coca-Cola invented Santa Claus.“ Nope, that’s not quite true. The Coca-Cola company didn’t actually invent him, but his current appearance – red robe, white beard, black boots – is largely thanks to Coca-Cola and the illustrator Haddon Sundblom, who drew Santa Claus in Coca-Cola’s colors for a campaign in 1931. That’s why he still wears red today – at least in our imaginations and on TV. It’s also funny that Coca-Cola was the first drink in space. In 1985, astronauts tested the Coca-Cola Space Can aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. A year later, I finally made it to Earth myself. 😉
The new Coca-Cola zero sugar
Sugar content and water consumption
Back to sustainability and a look behind the scenes. Coca-Cola Germany is continuously working on sustainability and value creation. This is naturally demanded by the sheer size and scope of the company, as well as the constant public scrutiny. I've done some research on this. The number one point of criticism is Coca-Cola's water consumption for beverage production. This is followed by the finger-wagging regarding the massive amounts of sugar that children, adults, overweight people, and others consume daily, or could consume. My very blunt and rather simply stated opinion on this: If I drink three liters of sweetened Coke every day, I'll become just as overweight as if I ate three pieces of chocolate cake daily. There's sugar in those too, so no one's surprised. So, as with so many things, quantity is key! It's clear that sweet drinks exist. And everyone knows that these, or rather, too much sugar in general, aren't healthy. Anyone who consciously consumes sugar – which isn't always a bad thing in principle – and chooses to do so in beverage form should know that consuming too much of it leads to weight gain and health problems in the long run – regardless of whether it's in liquid or solid form. It's completely irrelevant whether the drink's logo is red and white or whether you choose iced tea, lemonade, Capri-Sun, or something else. I personally don't like sugary drinks, or only drink them rarely. In my opinion, there's no need to justify their existence; instead of getting annoyed, you simply shouldn't pick them up. Makes sense, right? (…for the third time: That's another reason why I've been drinking Coke Zero for years. I don't want to give up sweetness, but I also don't want to consume too much sugar.) Furthermore, of the 3,800 Coca-Cola drinks mentioned, around a third are low-calorie or even calorie-free. What you drink is your own decision, that's my opinion.
I quickly came across facts regarding water consumption in connection with Coca-Cola beverages. With Coca-Cola's production volumes increasing annually, the raw materials used naturally rise as well. Sustainability is therefore unavoidable and, as mentioned, of great importance to Coca-Cola. What is Coca-Cola doing to reduce water consumption? The answer: a lot! In recent years, Coca-Cola has reduced its water consumption to 1.88 liters for every liter of beverage – and the trend is still downward. This topic intrigued me so much that I sought out further information. I quickly discovered that Coca-Cola is the first Fortune 500 company to achieve water-neutral production. I had to do some research on that as well. In detail, this means that Coca-Cola is the first company to return the globally used water; in other words, every drop that the Coca-Cola system uses worldwide for its beverages and their production is returned to the water cycle. Did you know that? (If you don't believe it, feel free to request a 1,200-page report... ;-)). You can find some of the facts here. here. It's true that a significant amount of water is still used in production, but over 91 TB less compared to 2010. Considering that the company is the world's largest (!) manufacturer of non-alcoholic beverages, this is, in my opinion, a remarkable achievement and another point that underscores their commitment to sustainability. Furthermore, 1001 TB of renewable energy is used in all of their facilities.
The new ViO BiO LiMO light is available in three varieties
What's coming...?
And so I could now give you many more facts and figures that you might not immediately associate with Coca-Cola Germany. Did you know, for example, that Nestea, Fruitopia, ViO, Bonaqa, Apollinaris, Monster, Powerade, as well as Sprite, Mezzo Mix, and Relentless all belong to Coca-Cola? To bring this full circle, I enjoy drinking Coca-Cola products and have therefore decided to learn more, try the products, and—always with a critical eye, of course—take a closer look. There will soon be a Coca-Cola event where I will be a guest, and I will be presenting specific drinks—for example, "Coca-Cola Zero Sugar" or the new "ViO BiO LiMO Light" varieties. (Just a heads-up: If you have the chance to try ViO's new cucumber-lime lemonade – do it! It's like the "Coke Zero" of lemonades to me. ;-)) By the way, Coca-Cola plans to invest disproportionately in light and zero-calorie drinks and their advertising by 2020 – compared to advertising for classic soft drinks.
Details and facts
Website from Coca-Cola
– 3,800 different non-alcoholic beverages worldwide
– 80 non-alcoholic beverages from Coca-Cola in Germany
– almost 9,200 employees in Berlin
– 42 locations, 18 of which have production facilities
– 3.86 billion liters sales volume (year 2015)
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