The Coca Cola company is now 130 years old and manufactures, bottles and distributes some of the most recognizable brands in over 200 countries and territories in the world including Coca Cola carbonated soft drinks.
The story of Coca Cola’s secret ingredient has been stuff of legend and even been mythologized by the company itself which has an entire vault where they keep it.
According to the company’s Wikipedia page, the formula and brand were sold to American businessman Asa G. Candler in 1889 by the founder John Smith Pemberton for around $2,300 then (approximately $71,000 today) and since then, it has been a greatly guarded secret.
The true key to Coca Cola’s success is its people…especially those that keep the secret formula.
As of 2019, the company listed over 86,000 employees however, it is largely believed that not more than two people at any one time can know the secret formula and each of the selected people only have half the formula.
The company goes to extreme lengths by also barring the two people from traveling on the same plane at the same time…just for good measure.
This means, hiring the right people, trustworthy and diligent people is key to the company’s success ensuring that their secret formula remains safe for generations to come.
Whether the myth of the secret formula and strict guidelines that accompany keeping it as such are true, there is no denying that the company has exceeded in giving its customers a consistent and distinguishable product for more than a century and performs extremely well financially which is why several people dream of working for such a brand.
Having the right people in distribution, sales, marketing, finance, management and let’s not forget those that keep your secrets is the special formula therefore refining your recruitment channels, processes and strategy can become your own secret formula!
Now you know.
