#194 The History of Coca-Cola ESL

Speak English Now through mini-stories with teacher Georgiana

Today, I will talk about Coca-Cola. And with a mini-story, you will improve your English fluency while learning some fun facts about Coca-Cola.

Do you like Coca-Cola? I used to drink plenty of Coke when I was younger, but I try to drink more water nowadays. However, I admit that Coca-Cola is the perfect drink to complement my popcorn at the cinema. And the good news is that if you want a healthier version, you can choose the sugar-free and even caffeine-free Coke.

But when and how was Coca-Cola invented?

In 1886, John Pemberton, a pharmacist from Georgia, invented a new kind of syrup. The drink was first sold as a nerve tonic that "relieves exhaustion," but it wasn't very successful.

Therefore, he sold his secret formula to another pharmacist, Asa Griggs Candler.

Candler was actually the one who invented Coca-Cola, as he mixed Pemberton's syrup with soda.

He started selling Coca-Cola in several drugstores and advertised his new drink, and soon people were going to the drugstores just to get a drink of Coca-Cola.

Before long, the drink became very popular, and a couple of entrepreneurs wanted to sell it in bottles. So, Candler sold them a license to bottle the drink, and soon the men were millionaires.

Did you know that the Coca-Cola bottle is the most recognizable object in the world? The famous Coca-Cola bottle is more than 100 years old.

Although the drink doesn't contain any cocoa, the famous bottle was originally shaped like a cocoa bean. Its unusual shape initially helped Coca-Cola stand out from its competitors. Nowadays, hundreds of millions of people can recognize a Coca-Cola bottle by its shape.

Also, the well-known Coca-Cola logo is the most famous in the world, perhaps because it has not changed in more than 100 years. The company still uses the script logo that Frank Robinson crafted in 1891.

Coca-Cola became popular in Europe during the First World War. American soldiers in Europe started asking for Coca-Cola, so the company started exporting it, and soon the drink was also being bottled in Europe.

Today, Coca-Cola is produced in countries worldwide and is undoubtedly the most popular drink in the world.

When it comes to the famous formula, it is probably the most valuable secret in the world. The exact ingredients used to make Coca-Cola are known to only a handful of people.

And since Christmas is coming up, I wanted to answer a very common question about Santa and Coca-Cola.

Did you know that many people think that the Coca-Cola Company invented Santa Claus?

Actually, I will talk in more detail about Father Christmas in a future episode, but I can assure you that Coca-Cola did not invent Father Christmas.

The company began using Santa Claus in its advertising in the 1920s; however, Santa's story dates back to the third century.

That's all about Coca-Cola and Santa for today. Let's continue with a mini-story.

Read the transcript here: speakenglishpodcast.com/podcast/