Cola Wars Research Paper

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Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola have been competing products for years. This feud is known as the Cola Wars. Pepsi has more sugar, calories, and caffeine. Pepsi is sweeter than Coke however, Coca-Cola is valued at $79.2 billion. PepsiCo is valued at $19.2 billion. Some people believe they taste the same. Others see a noticeable difference in taste.

Coca-Cola was invented in 1886. Pharmacist John Pemberton, invented Coca-Cola after fighting in the Civil War and failing in pharmacies. He wanted to try the soda industry because it was becoming more popular. The first year Coke was out it was not a very big hit. Pemberton died in 1888. After Pemberton died, Asa Griggs Candler took over the business. “In 1891, he became the sole owner” (Jeff Martin, …show more content…

Asa hired a salesman who traveled and advertised. Candler sold it as a medicine to cure headaches and fatigue. Congress then passed a tax on all medicaments. Coca-Cola then wanted to be sold as a beverage and won in court to no longer be sold as a drug. In the 90’s they came out with all kinds of fun flavors.

Pepsi-Cola came after Coca-Cola. Pepsi was invented in 1893 by Caleb Davis Bradham. It was originally named Brad’s Drink. Bradham wanted to become a doctor. A family crisis required him to drop his medical career. He opened a drug store. In 1893 Brad’s Drink was created at that drug store. Although it has been said and it is in the name now there was no pepsin in the original recipe. It was named Pepsi-Cola because Bradham “ believed ...a ‘healthy’ cola aiding in digestion” (Pepsi-Cola Official Website, History of the Birthplace).

In 1930 demand began to rise and Pepsi was then sold bottled. During World War 1 sales were hard due to low sugar rations. This caused not enough syrup tp be produced. After the war sugar cost twenty eight cents instead of three. Pepsi-Cola went bankrupt and owed a lot of money for the large portion of sugar they bought. “... assets... sold to Craven Holding Corporation… $30,000” ( Pepsi-Cola Official Website, History of the Birthplace). In 2013, it was back on the

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