Catch Coke in a bottle — Mistakes Were Made

In 1888, Asa Candler, an Atlanta pharmacist, made one of the best business decisions in history. Candler bought the rights to the Coca-Cola (Coke) formula for $2,300 (about $73,000 in 2023.) While it is one of the best business decisions in history, Candler later made a key blunder that would cost himself and his heirs billions down the road.

Under Candler, Coca-Cola was only sold as concentrated syrup to soda fountains. Almost equivalent to how it’s sold today to fast-food restaurants. In other parts of the world, carbonated fruit drinks were sold in bottles, but these items had not yet caught on in the United States.

Candler was against the idea of bottling Coke. He thought it was best served at soda fountains, fresh mixed on the spot (some people still feel this way). Candler’s nephew advised him that selling Coke in a bottle could increase the sales of Coke, but Candler was still not moved by the idea.

Joseph A. Biedenharn, a candy store owner, first put Coke in Hutchinson bottles (no semblance to the modern Coke bottle.) Hutchinson saw the sales boost he got from the bottles and sent a case to Candler, but Candler would not budge on his anti-bottling stance.

Finally, in 1899, Candler relented to the pleas to bottle Coke and sold the bottling rights for Coke to Ben Thomas and Joseph…