The Coca-Cola Company was founded by Asa Candler in 1892.
Candler, an Atlanta pharmacist and businessman, acquired control of Coca-Cola from inventor John Stith Pemberton and his associates in the late 1880s. He then concentrated on aggressive marketing, distribution, and expanding the drink beyond its original Atlanta market.
The company’s founding date is different from the drink’s creation date. Coca-Cola was formulated in 1886, while the incorporated company came later, in 1892. This distinction commonly causes confusion in timelines about the brand.
Candler eventually sold the company in 1919. By then, Coca-Cola had developed from a local fountain beverage into a widely distributed commercial product.