Asa Candler incorporated the modern Coca-Cola Company in 1892.
Candler was a Georgia businessman who acquired control of Coca-Cola after buying rights to John Stith Pemberton’s formula and brand during the late 1880s. He then organized the modern corporate enterprise in Atlanta in 1892. This date is distinct from 1886, when Pemberton developed and first sold the drink, and from 1888, when Candler gained much stronger control of the business.
Candler’s contribution was not the invention of the beverage itself, but the aggressive marketing and distribution system that transformed it into a national brand. He promoted Coca-Cola through coupons, branded merchandise, newspaper advertising, and syrup sales to soda fountains.
By 1895, Coca-Cola was being distributed throughout the United States. Candler eventually left day-to-day leadership after entering politics, and the company was sold in 1919 to investors led by Ernest Woodruff. That later transaction did not change the company’s founding year.