How China's New Soda Threatens Coca-Cola's $280B Empire

You are standing in front of an open refrigerator. The cold hits your face. The light is white and harsh and it makes every label inside glow. There is water on the top shelf. There is milk on the side. And right in the middle, at eye level, exactly where the store wants it to be, there is a red can. Coca-Cola. The can is perfect. The red is the exact shade of red they have used for 138 years. The white script is flowing and familiar, and it looks like it was handwritten just for you. You reach for it. The aluminum is ice cold. You feel the condensation on your fingertips. You turn it over, and you hear that little hiss before you even open it. You know what it will taste like before you taste it. Sweet, sharp, fizzy, American. You look at the price tag on the shelf. $2.29 for one can. In an airport, $3.50. 50 at a restaurant. $40 for a glass full of ice. Now, let me tell you what you are actually holding.