The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic

beverage concentrates and syrups.[2] The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia.[3] The Coca-Cola formula and brand was bought in 1889 by Asa Candler who incorporated The Coca-Cola Company in 1892. Besides its namesake Coca-Cola beverage, Coca-Cola currently offers more than 500 brands in over 200 countries or territories and serves over 1.7 billion servings each day. The Coca-Cola Company also produces a number of other soft drinks including Fanta (introduced circa 1941) and Sprite. During the 1990s, the company responded to the growing consumer interest in healthy beverages by introducing several new non-carbonated beverage brands. These included Minute Maid Juices to Go, Powerade sports beverage, flavored tea Nestea (in a joint venture with Nestle), Fruitopia fruit drink and Dasani water, among others.

KNOWLEDGE BASE: Through Live Positively the Company strives to create a positive difference in the world. Live Positively focuses on seven core areas key to business sustainability, with the following measurable goals and metrics for the Company and the Coca-Cola system: Beverage Benefits Active Healthy Living Community Energy Efficiency and Climate Protection Sustainable Packaging Water Stewardship Workplace

STRENGTHS: Coca Cola is an extremely recognizable company. Popularity is one its superior strengths that is virtually incomparable. Coca Cola is known very well worldwide. Its branding is obvious and easily recognized. Things like, logos and promos shown on t-shirts, hats, and collectible memorabilia. Without a doubt, no beverage company compares to Coca Colas social popularity status. Some people buy coke, not only because of its taste, but because it is widely accepted and they feel like they are a part of something so big and unifying. So basically the strengths of The Coca Cola Company can be summarized in the following bullet points: Popularity Well known Branding obvious and easily recognized A lot of Finance Customer Loyalty International Trade

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: Major publically-traded competitors of Pepper Coca-Cola Snapple

include PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) and Dr.

Group (NYSE: DPS). PepsiCo has been competing with Coca-Cola since their birth, and offer similar to near identical products. These two companies will continue to battle each other into the future. Dr. Pepper Snapple, while significantly smaller than Pepsi and Coca-Cola, poses a significant threat to Coca-Cola because of the wide popularity of their products and difference between the different brands. Their main brand, Dr. Pepper is relatively unlike anything Coca-Cola offers.

The advantage that The Coca Cola Company has over its competitors: Market Leadership Business partnerships Strong brand portfolio Collaborative customer relationships Channel Marketing Multi-Segmentation Client Value Management Go-to-market strategies Flexible sales and distribution models Full Operating Potential Managerial expertise

References: 1)vinay nair-senior sales manager-bombay region- coca cola