When Coke bottling began

On this day in Coca-Cola history – July 21, 1899 – the contract between our Company and Benjamin Thomas and Joseph Whitehead was executed. This began the Coca-Cola bottling system, delivering Coca-Cola products in more than 200 countries today.

You may be surprised to know that our Company sold the rights to bottle Coca-Cola (instead of selling it only at soda fountains) for only $1! Our leader at the time, Asa Candler, didn’t believe the idea of bottling would work. In fact, he never even collected the dollar!