Cola

Have you ever stopped to think about how a can of cola travels from being nothing more than a syrup made from corn syrup, caramel colouring and caffeine to sitting on a dinner plate in front of you? The complicated process of getting the beverage from its most basic parts to the dinner plate involves a myriad of steps. In this blog, I will discuss how a cola is created, packaged, and distributed so that it can eventually end up in front of you.

Manufacturing Cola

To get the process of making cola started it begins with the raw ingredients. This includes anything from high fructose corn syrup, water, and carbon dioxide to caffeine, preservatives, phosphoric acid, and natural flavourings. The ingredients are mixed and heated until a syrup base is created. This syrup base is then mixed with carbon dioxide and water before being heated once again. This is what provides that iconic fizz when you crack open a cola.

Once the cola has been mixed and heated it is then cooled and stored in large stainless steel tanks until it is ready to be packaged. In the tanks, the cola is constantly agitated to avoid bacteria growth. During this time, filters are also added to ensure that the finished product is free of impurities, such as bits of sediment or dust.

Packaging Cola

Once the cola is filtered and ready, it is then transferred from the tanks to a packaging area. Here, it is split up and sent through a series of machines, pumps and tubes that can fill, cap, print labels and cases on the cans and bottles, cartons and shrink wrap pallets.

The cans and bottles of cola can be filled with either hot or cold syrup. With hot filling, the beverage is poured into the can and then sealed shut with a lid. Cold filling involves first sterilizing the can, followed by filling with the cooled beverage and then sealing with a lid.

The cans and bottles of cola are then printed with the labels and dates of production. Once this is complete the bottles and cans are then placed in transport cases or shrink wrapped onto pallets depending on the size of the shipment. The shrink-wrapped pallets are then ready to be shipped to retail stores, restaurants or vending machines.

Distributing Cola

Once the cola is packaged and ready, it is then shipped off to its destinations. Vending machines and retail stores typically receive their shipments of cola in transport cases or shrink-wrapped pallets. The pallets are loaded onto trucks and shipped off to their destinations.

At retail stores and vending machines, the pallets are put onto an adjacent dock and the cases or shrink-wrapped pallets are then unloaded from the truck. The cases or shrink-wrapped pallets of cola are then taken to the stocking area and placed onto the shelf for customers to purchase.

Restaurants and other food service locations typically receive their orders of cola in smaller transport cases or shrink-wrapped pallets. Much like with retail locations and vending machines, the cases or pallets of cola are then unloaded onto an adjacent dock. The cases or pallets are then taken to the storage area where they are unpacked and put away for use.

Once the cola is placed onto the shelves or storage area, it is then ready to be served to customers. It can either be served on its own or combined with other ingredients to make a speciality drink. It can also be served in a glass, over ice, with a mixer, in a slushy, or even in a float. No matter the form it's served in, it is important to remember that all of the preparation that had to go into getting that cola from its raw ingredients to sitting in front of you at the dinner table.

Conclusion

Creating cola is a complex process that involves a combination of raw ingredients, heating and cooling stages, and even packaging and distribution channels. It starts with the raw ingredients, like corn syrup, water, and carbon dioxide, which are heated and cooled in order to create a syrup base. This syrup base is then mixed with carbon dioxide, filtered, and sent to be packaged and prepared for shipment.

Once the cola is packaged and prepared, it is then sent to its destinations, whether it is to retail stores, restaurants, or vending machines. Once it finally arrives at its destination, it is then put into cases or shrink-wrapped pallets, removed from the dock, and placed into the storage area. From there, it is ready to be served to customers in whatever way they prefer.

No matter the form it is served in, it is important to remember the extensive process that had to take place to get that can of cola on their plate. Every step was carefully considered in order to make sure that each can of cola is the same delicious and fizzy beverage that everyone loves.