Coca Cola’s recipe is one of the best kept business secrets of the past decade. Competitors have tried to imitate and mimic the taste and flavor of Coca Cola, but they’ve failed over and over. The company tries hard to keep the secret hidden. There is a myth that only 2 people have ever seen the secret formula. But no matter how many people have seen the formula, one thing is certain, the company has gone above and beyond to protect the recipe from prying eyes. In fact, the company has its own high-tech vault that holds the recipe. So, where is this precious vault located?
The Vault
The vault is located into a museum in Atlanta. The World of Coca Cola museum was opened for the public on May 24, 2007. There are many World of Coca Cola stores around the world, but only the one in Atlanta is a museum showcasing the complete history of the company.
The museum is home of the high-tech vault that holds the original recipe. The museum is a 20-acre complex located across Baker Street. The company’s headquarters is located at Pemberton Place.
Visitors to the museum can taste 60 different flavors from around the world. In addition to housing the secret formula, the museum also has fully-functional bottling line producing 8-ounce bottles that visitors can keep as souvenirs.
Relocation
The secret formula was kept in SunTrustBanks Inc, under lock and key since 1925. But for the company’s 125th anniversary, the Coca Cola risked taking the ultra-secret recipe out of the vault and put it on display at the World of Coca Cola museum.
The formula dates back to 1886. The secret formula is enclosed inside a metal box. The box is also locked inside a high-tech vault. That means that visitors hoping to get a glimpse out of the formula will be disappointed.
The SunTrust bank provided underwriting services to Coca Cola in 1919, when the company went public. The bank received some of the first stocks, and at one time held more than 48 million shares.
However, in 2007, the bank sold 9% of its holdings in Coca Cola. Some believe that as the bank sold its shares in Coca Cola, the beverage company began mulling about relocation.
On the official exhibit, several executives from the bank were on hand. Serving as boss at the time, Muhtar Kent said at the official unveiling of the exhibit that it is time for the secret formula to come back home.
Coca Cola Facts
– Coca cola is sold in more than 200 countries in the world. There are thousands of subsidiary beverages that you might not even now they are owned and produced by Coca Cola
– There have been three CEO changes since 2000. Still, despite all the changes, Coke has been the No.1 carbonated drink in the US, holding 42.8% of the market compared to Pepsi (31.1%)
– Around 1.7 billion servings of Coke products are consumed on a daily basis
– Coca cola is the second most widely understood term in the world after OK
– There are so many different beverages. The company produces different beverages that it would take you 9 years to try them all
– The company has a product portfolio of more than 3,500 beverages. Those span from sodas, to soy-based drinks, to energy drinks. All in all, the company has more than 500 brands
– With a revenue of $35+ billion, Coca Cola is the 84th largest economy in the world
– The brand is worth $74 billion, which is more than Pepsi, Starbucks, Red Bull, and Budweiser combined
– Put on every drop of Coke ever produced in 8-ounce bottles, laid them end-to-end, and you can reach the moon and back 2,000 times
– There are 33 non-alcoholic brands that generate more than $1 billion of revenue. Coca Cola owns 15 of those brands
– Stack Coke’s vending machines (there 2.8 million of them), and they will take 150.2 million cubic feet of space. That is the size of 4 Empire State Buildings.
