The American giant Coca-Cola accuses a small Corsican wine made with coca leaf and made from a local grape variety, Coca Mariani, of having stolen the legendary recipe for its drink.
Charges that the current owner of the company denies.
The European Intellectual Property Office was in charge of the case.
It looks like a war between David and Goliath.
The American multinational Coca-Cola does not really appreciate a small wine produced on the Isle of Beauty made from a coca plant and a local grape variety.
The American giant indeed accuses Coca Mariani of having stolen the legendary recipe for its drink.
The whole question is therefore now to know if the manufacturing secrets of Coca Cola were not born in France and who was really inspired by the other.
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Because Coca Mariani existed before the famous American soda, from 1863. It was coca leaves macerated in Bordeaux wine.
A drink then become world famous, praised for its therapeutic virtues, and even drunk by popes or kings.
"We were there 25 years before them"
The current president of the company, Christophe Mariani, assures us that Coca-Cola was born from this French sparkling wine.
"We were there 25 years before them. In 1885, John Pemberton, an American pharmacy preparer, decided to copy this Mariani tonic wine, then at the end of 1885 came Prohibition. He was then forced to change his formula, d 'remove the wine and create a drink that we know today, called Coca-Cola, "says the manager.
The American company, for its part, does not wish to comment.
The file is currently in the hands of the European Intellectual Property Office, but the trademark war is open between Corsica and the Americans.