 | |
| Product type | Clear cola |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Introduced | 1946[1] |
| Discontinued | 1946; 80 years ago (1946)[1] |
| Related brands | Coca-Cola Clear |
| Markets | Soviet Union |
White Coke (Russian:Бесцветная кока-кола,romanized: Bestsvetnaya koka-kola,lit. 'colorless Coca-Cola') was aclear variant ofCoca-Cola produced in the 1940s at the request ofMarshal of the Soviet UnionGeorgy Zhukov. It had the same flavor as the original, virtually unchanged by the absence ofcaramel coloring.
Zhukov was introduced to Coca-Cola during, or shortly after,World War II by his counterpart in Western Europe,Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was also a fan of the drink.[2]As Coca-Cola was regarded in theSoviet Union as a symbol ofAmerican imperialism,[3] Zhukov was apparently reluctant to be photographed with or reported as consuming such a product.According tojournalistTom Standage, without corroborating sources, Zhukov later asked whether Coca-Cola could be manufactured and packaged to resemblevodka.[1][4]
Marshal Zhukov reportedly made this inquiry through GeneralMark W. Clark, commander of the US sector ofAllied-occupied Austria, who passed the request on to US PresidentHarry S. Truman. The President's staff contactedJames Farley, chairman of the Board of the Coca-Cola Export Corporation. At the time, Farley was overseeing the establishment of 38 Coca-Cola plants inSoutheast Europe, includingAustria. Farley delegated Zhukov's special order to Mladin Zarubica, a technical supervisor for the Coca-Cola Company.[a] He had been sent to Austria in 1946 to supervise establishment of a large bottling plant. Zarubica received a charge of Coca-Cola base ingredients without the coloring.
The colorless version of Coca-Cola was bottled using straight, clear glass bottles with a whitecap and ared star in the middle.[5][6] The bottle and the cap were produced by aCrown Cork and Seal Company satellite inBrussels.[1] The first shipment of White Coke consisted of 50cases.[3][7]
One unusual consequence for the Coca-Cola Company was a relaxation of the regulations imposed by the occupying powers in Austria at the time. Coca-Cola supplies and products were required to transit a Soviet occupation zone while being transported between theLambach bottling plant and theVienna warehouse. While all goods entering the Soviet zone normally took weeks to be cleared by authorities, Coca-Cola shipments were never stopped.[7]
Varieties of Coca-Cola | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regular | | |
| Low-calorie | ||
| Other brands | ||
