Coca-Cola is one of the most famous brands across the world and is consumed by more than 200 nations.
Based on the information provided by the World Health Organization, it is clear that beverages such as Coca-Cola are highly popular all around the world.
But who owns Coca-Cola? Coca-Cola is not owned by an individual but is owned by a public corporation with thousands of shareholders.
Find out about who owns Coca Cola, major shareholders along with the story behind its global success, when was Coca Cola founded and when was Coke invented in this article.
Who Owns Coca Cola?
Coca-Cola belongs to the Coca-Cola Company, which is a publicly held company. It does not belong to any one individual but to several individuals who share its ownership.
The Berkshire Hathaway Company, headed by Warren Buffet, is the largest shareholder of the Coca-Cola Company, with a total shareholding of almost 400 million shares, which account for nearly 9.3% of the total stock of the company.
Top Institutional Shareholders of Coca-Cola also include:
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The Vanguard Group, Inc.: ~8.4% - 8.7%
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BlackRock, Inc.: ~5.6% - 7.3%
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State Street Corporation: ~3.8% - 3.9%
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Individual investors around the world
This structure allows Coca-Cola to operate on a global scale while being accountable to its investors.
In simple terms, Coca-Cola belongs to the public through its shareholders.
When was Coca-Cola Founded?
The establishment of the company dates back to 1892 when Asa Griggs Candler established Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
Asa acquired the formula for Coca-Cola and transformed it into a profitable venture by investing heavily in marketing and brand promotion strategies. Consequently, the beverage became popular in America within a short period.
Eventually, it spread to other parts of the world and emerged as one of the most profitable beverages in the international market.
When was Coke Invented?
Coca-Cola was discovered in 1886 by John Stith Pemberton, who was a pharmacist in Atlanta at that time.
At the beginning, he produced this product for the medical treatment purposes only. The drink was sold in his own pharmacy where it was mixed with carbonated water and then presented as a tasty drink.
"Coca-Cola" is a name that was coined by Pemberton's bookkeeper. Its taste made it very popular. Although Pemberton invented the drink, he did not build the global brand—that happened later under Asa Candler’s leadership.
Conclusion
Coca-Cola belongs to a publicly-held company and not an individual; it has many stockholders all over the world. Over the years, from the time it was created in 1886 up to now, Coca-Cola has continued to be a strong brand.
