The soft drink coca cola was never patented ? Why ? What were the alternative strategies adopted ?

Question

this is one of the questions asked in a previous exam for a management unit. i am unable to get hold of some certain solution for this on .... If anybody can throw a little light on the subject, it would help me to get started on the research part for it.....

Answer 1

Obtaining a patent requires publishing the formula in the patent documentation. While legally nobody can use that published recipe, it is nonethelsss common knowledge at that point. The company instead choose to carefully guard their recipe (trade-secret). So it is still unknown, and not subject to patent expiration.

Answer 2

It has allowed Coca Cola to keep their formula secret.