Coca Cola Headquarters East & Central Africa Building. In 2006 The Coca-Cola Company Ltd made a decision to build their regional East & Central Africa Office Headquarters in the Upper Hill area of Nairobi. This head office is the headquarters of their operations in 27 African countries. Following an architectural design competition in late 2007, GAPP Architects & Urban Designers of South Africa, in association with Triad Architects, were appointed the Project Architects.
The resultant building, completed in August 2008 within a construction period of 13 months, is a landmark in the city of Nairobi.
The new Coca-Cola Regional Headquarters building concept was derived from the Coca-Cola brand ribbon and boasts of many features that make it a truly unique building that is both refreshing and inspiring. The building boasts of many “Green” features that include solar heating, rain water harvesting, power conservation devices and a green roof garden that acts as a recreation area and ensures that there is minimal heat gain in a large portion of the building through the roof top.
The new building has state-of-the-art IT, audio visual and security systems that together with all the other building systems are managed through a building management system (BMS). Apart from offi ces, the building has a large auditorium
Construction started in July 2007 and was completed in August 2008 within programme and budget.
Client:Coca-Cola East and Central Africa Ltd
Project Location: Upper Hill, Nairobi
Completion: 2008
Gross Area:6165 sq. meters
Project Director: Charles Ndungu
Project Architect: Samuel Thumbi
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation, best known as the producer of Coca-Cola. The sugary drink was invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton. The Coca-Cola Company also manufactures, sells, and markets other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, and alcoholic beverages. The company’s stock is listed on the NYSE and is part of the DJIA and the S&P 500 and S&P 100 indexes.
At the time of its invention, the product contained cocaine from coca leaves and caffeine from kola nuts which together acted as a stimulant. The coca and the kola are the source of the product name, and led to Coca-Cola’s promotion as a “healthy tonic”. In 1889, the formula and brand were sold for $2,300 (roughly $71,000 in 2022) to Asa Griggs Candler, who incorporated the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta in 1892. The company has operated a franchised distribution system since 1889. The company largely produces syrup concentrate, which is then sold to various bottlers throughout the world who hold exclusive territories. The company owns its anchor bottler in North America, Coca-Cola Refreshments.
History
In July 1886, pharmacist John Stith Pemberton from Columbus, Georgia invented the original Coca-Cola drink, which was advertised as helpful in the relief of headache, to be placed on sale primarily in drugstores as a medicinal beverage. Pemberton had made many mixing experiments and reached his goal during the month of May, but the new product was as yet unnamed and uncarbonated. Pemberton’s bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, is credited with naming the product and creating its logo. Robinson chose the name Coca-Cola because of its two main ingredients (coca leaves and kola nuts) and because it is an alliteration. John Pemberton had taken a break and left Robinson to make, promote, and sell Coca-Cola on his own. Robinson promoted the drink with the limited budget that he had, and succeeded
American businessman Asa Griggs Candler purchased the Coca-Cola formula and brand, forming the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta in 1892. By 1895, Coca-Cola was being sold in every state in the union. In 1919, the company was sold to Ernest Woodruff’s Trust Company of Georgia.
Coca-Cola’s first ad read “Coca Cola. Delicious! Refreshing! Exhilarating! Invigorating!” Candler was one of the first businessmen to use merchandising in his advertising strategy. As of 1948, Coca-Cola had claimed about 60% of its market share. By 1984, the Coca-Cola Company’s market share decreased to 21.8% due to new competitors.
