Chanel No 5, Benedictine and Chartreuse liqueurs, 4711 original eau de Cologne et al?such are the products that continue to churn global profits from ?the secret recipe? going back generations. Even in this august list, Coca-Cola stands apart. It stands for classic Americana. It wowed Marilyn Monroe and Andy Warhol. One thing the world will always share, it claimed in recent times even while defending a shrinking share of the fizzy pie. When the Indian government demanded a look-in into the formula in 1977, Coca-Cola preferred to pull out. When it came back in 1993, it was only with a government commitment that its formula could indeed remain secret. It has been ?thinking local, acting local? since then, and yet retained its intimate intertwining with the Stars and Stripes. All of which is to underline why when a radio report claimed that a copy of the secret formula (or Merchandise 7X flavouring) had been unearthed from newspaper archives, the buzz was big. The company says nothing doing. Outside of the bank vault, the only people who have the formula are the two who are supposed to have it. Reportedly, they never travel on the same plane.
Back when it used to cost only five cents, the ad refrain used to be, It will relieve your fatigue, cool you off comfortably, calm your jangled nerves and quench the thirst. That was around 1910 and cocaine (!) had been kicked out of the recipe. Claims are shorter today. On the other hand, Coca-Cola has made its way into recipes for chicken, cakes, salads, sauces, ham and so on. It?s truly domesticated. Just check with Nigella Lawson.