Coca-Cola vs Unilever: Founders, CEOs and History
Coca-Cola was founded in 1892 by Asa Griggs Candler, John Stith Pemberton and is led by Henrique Braun. Unilever was founded in 1929 by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens and is led by Fernando Fernandez.
Company facts
Founders
Coca-Cola
Asa Griggs Candler
The founding of Coca-Cola is a historic and ironic story of a struggling pharmacist seeking a cure for his own pain, combined with the effective, aggressive marketing of a man who recognized the potential of the brand. The beverage was invented in 1886 by Dr.
John Stith Pemberton
John Pemberton is best understood as the inventor of Coca-Cola rather than the builder of The Coca-Cola Company. He created the original syrup in 1886, and the first servings reportedly averaged only about nine per day at Jacob's Pharmacy.
Unilever
William Hesketh Lever
William Hesketh Lever (later Lord Leverhulme) co-founded Lever Brothers with his brother James in 1885 and built it around Sunlight Soap, one of the first branded, individually wrapped soaps sold at mass scale.
Samuel van den Bergh
Samuel van den Bergh led Van den Bergh, a Dutch margarine maker that became one of Jurgens' main rivals. The two families combined their businesses into Margarine Unie in 1927, and Margarine Unie merged with Lever Brothers in 1929 to create Unilever.
Anton Jurgens
Anton Jurgens' family firm was among the first to manufacture margarine commercially in the Netherlands after the product was invented in France. Jurgens competed for decades with the Van den Bergh family before the two merged into Margarine Unie in 1927.
CEOs and their tenures
Coca-Cola
- Robert W. Woodruff1923–1954
President and Chairman (CEO)
As President and Chairman, Robert W. Woodruff guided The Coca-Cola Company
Source - Roberto Goizueta1981–1997
CEO
As CEO, Roberto Goizueta guided The Coca-Cola Company
Source - Neville Isdell2004–2008
CEO
As CEO, Neville Isdell guided The Coca-Cola Company
Source - Muhtar Kent2008–2017
CEO
As CEO, Muhtar Kent guided The Coca-Cola Company
Source - James Quincey2017–2026
CEO
As CEO, James Quincey guided The Coca-Cola Company
Source - Henrique Braun2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
He played a pivotal role in driving volume growth and implementing revenue growth management (RGM) strategies across emerging markets, significantly boosting international margins.
Source
Unilever
- Alan Jope2019–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
Source - Hein Schumacher2023–2025
Chief Executive Officer
Schumacher reset Unilever around fewer, bigger brands and set up the Ice Cream demerger before stepping down in February 2025.
Source - Fernando Fernandez2025–present
Chief Executive Officer
As CFO, the highly experienced Latin American executive enforces absolute financial discipline, attempting to restore investor confidence after years of sluggish stock performance.
Source
Timeline: Coca-Cola and Unilever side by side
1884Unilever
Lever soap factory opens
William Hesketh Lever built the Port Sunlight soap business that became a key Unilever predecessor.
1892Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola Company Founded
Asa Griggs Candler incorporated The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta in 1892 after acquiring rights connected to John Pemberton's original formula.
1899Coca-Cola
National Bottling Rights Granted
In 1899, Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead secured rights to bottle Coca-Cola across much of the United States. The deal looked less important than the fountain business at first, but it became the foundation of Coca-Cola's physical reach.
1915Coca-Cola
Contour Bottle Introduced
Coca-Cola introduced the contour bottle design in 1915 to make the product recognizable and harder to imitate. At a time when copycat colas were common, the bottle gave consumers a visual and tactile cue that they were buying the real product.
1919Coca-Cola
Company Sold for $25 Million
In 1919, the Candler family sold Coca-Cola to a group of investors led by Ernest Woodruff for $25 million. The transaction signaled that Coca-Cola had become a valuable national business rather than a regional success.
1928Coca-Cola
Olympic Sponsorship Begins
Coca-Cola began its Olympic sponsorship in 1928, linking the brand to international sport and public celebration. The partnership mattered because it gave Coca-Cola a platform that crossed language and national boundaries.
1929Unilever
Unilever created
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie merged to form Unilever.
1929Unilever
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie Merge
Lever Brothers and the Dutch Margarine Unie merged in 1929 to form Unilever.
1984Unilever
Acquired Brooke Bond
Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984 for ~$515 million (£390 million).
1985Coca-Cola
New Coke Reversal
Coca-Cola introduced New Coke in 1985 after taste tests suggested a sweeter formula could compete more effectively with Pepsi. Consumers rejected the change because the original product had emotional and cultural value beyond flavor.
1989Unilever
Acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics
Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.
1993Unilever
Acquired Breyers
Unilever acquired Breyers in 1993.
2000Unilever
Acquired Maille
Unilever acquired Maille. Unilever acquired Maille in 2000.
2008Coca-Cola
Muhtar Kent Becomes CEO
Muhtar Kent became CEO in 2008 during a period when emerging markets, bottler alignment, and category diversification were becoming more important.
2009Coca-Cola
Freestyle Fountain System Unveiled
Coca-Cola unveiled Freestyle in 2009, giving foodservice customers a fountain dispenser with more than 100 beverage choices.
2017Coca-Cola
Topo Chico Joins the Portfolio
Coca-Cola acquired Topo Chico in 2017, adding a premium sparkling mineral water brand sourced from Cerro del Topo Chico in northern Mexico.
2017Coca-Cola
James Quincey Becomes CEO
James Quincey became CEO in 2017 and accelerated the push toward a total beverage strategy. He emphasized revenue growth management, zero-sugar products, refranchising discipline, and fewer but stronger brands.
2019Coca-Cola
Costa Coffee Acquisition
Coca-Cola completed the Costa Coffee acquisition in 2019, adding a coffee platform with retail stores, Costa Express vending, for-home formats, and ready-to-drink potential.
2019Unilever
Alan Jope becomes CEO
Alan Jope became CEO of Unilever in 2019. Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
2020Unilever
Legal structure unified
Unilever moved to a single parent company structure after decades with British and Dutch holding companies.
2020Unilever
Single Parent Company
Unilever unified its dual structure into a single parent company, Unilever PLC, in November 2020.
2021Coca-Cola
BodyArmor Full Acquisition
Coca-Cola acquired full control of BodyArmor in 2021 in a transaction valued at about $5.6 billion for the remaining stake. The deal deepened Coca-Cola's position in sports drinks, a category long led by PepsiCo's Gatorade.
2023Coca-Cola
$45.8B Revenue
In FY2023, Coca-Cola reported $45.8 billion in revenue, continuing its recovery from the pandemic-era decline in away-from-home channels.
2024Coca-Cola
$47.1B Revenue
In FY2024, Coca-Cola reported $47.1 billion in revenue, with organic performance supported heavily by price/mix and concentrate sales timing.
2025Coca-Cola
$47.9B Revenue and 65,900 Employees
In FY2025, Coca-Cola reported $47.9 billion in revenue and $13.1 billion in net income. Its 2025 Form 10-K listed about 65,900 company employees at year-end, down from about 69,700 in 2024 because of divestiture activity.
2025Unilever
Fernando Fernandez becomes CEO
Fernando Fernandez was appointed CEO effective March 2025.
2025Unilever
Ice Cream demerger reflected
Unilever reported 2025 results on a continuing-operations basis after the Ice Cream business demerger.
Acquisitions
Coca-Cola
- BodyArmor2021$5.6B
- Fairlife2020Undisclosed
- Costa Coffee2019$5.1B
- Topo Chico2017$220M
- Innocent Drinks2013$320M
Unilever
- Dr. Squatch2025Undisclosed
- Wild2025Undisclosed
- Minimalist2025Undisclosed
- Paula's Choice2021Undisclosed
- Sir Kensington's2017Undisclosed
- Weis2017Undisclosed
Questions about Coca-Cola vs Unilever
Who is the CEO of The Coca-Cola Company and Unilever PLC?
The Coca-Cola Company is led by Henrique Braun and Unilever PLC is led by Fernando Fernandez. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was The Coca-Cola Company founded vs Unilever PLC?
The Coca-Cola Company was founded in 1892 — 37 years before Unilever PLC, which was founded in 1929. The Coca-Cola Company's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Unilever PLC.
How many employees does The Coca-Cola Company have compared to Unilever PLC?
The Coca-Cola Company employs approximately 65,900 people, while Unilever PLC employs approximately 96,092. Unilever PLC has the larger workforce at 96,092 employees, compared to The Coca-Cola Company's 65,900. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are The Coca-Cola Company and Unilever PLC headquartered?
The Coca-Cola Company is headquartered in United States and Unilever PLC is headquartered in United Kingdom. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded The Coca-Cola Company and Unilever PLC?
The Coca-Cola Company was founded by Asa Griggs Candler, John Stith Pemberton. Unilever PLC was founded by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens.
Which company has a longer operating history — The Coca-Cola Company or Unilever PLC?
The Coca-Cola Company has been operating for approximately 134 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Unilever PLC has been in operation for around 97 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Coca-Cola vs Unilever overview