The Coca-Cola Company is an
American historical
multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer, and marketer of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and
syrups, which is headquartered in
Atlanta,
Georgia. The company is best known for its flagship product
Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist
John Stith Pemberton in
Columbus,
Georgia. The Coca-Cola formula and brand was bought in 1889 by
Asa Griggs Candler (December 30, 1851 – March 12, 1929), who incorporated The Coca-Cola Company in 1892. The company operates a
franchised distribution system dating from 1889 where The Coca-Cola Company only produces syrup concentrate which is then sold to various
bottlers throughout the world who hold an exclusive territory. The Coca-Cola Company owns its
anchor bottler in North America,
Coca-Cola Refreshments.