Imperial Cola
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Imperial Cola, officially the Paulaustran Cola, Inc. is a company based out of Paulastra. It is the world's largest soda beverage corporation and the 22nd largest company on earth by annual profit. The company's identity is synonymous with its chief product, "Imperial Cola", and derivations thereof. Imperial Cola is one of the most prominent national symbols of Paulastra, with the history of the company and the country largely being intertwined and the country's existence largely owing itself to the company's colonial activities.
| Formerly | Imperial Cronan Plantation Company |
|---|---|
| Company type | Privately owned |
| Industry | Beverage |
| Founded | 1578 |
| Founder | Mel Melvin the 1st |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Number of employees | Approximately 3 million |
The company was founded as the Imperial Cronan Plantation Company in 1578 in Kiravia.
History
Foundation and expansion
The Imperial Cronan Plantation Company was chartered in 1578 in Kartika by a group of investors seeking to grow, trade, and otherwise profit off exploitation of kola nuts as discovered in Crona. The kola nut craze in Kiravia lasted from approximately 1560 to 1590, during which time many schemes were devised to profit off the new import. As part of a collaborative effort with the government, the colony of Farpoint was established in Crona, laying the foundations for the modern Paulastran state. The Company directly governed the colony until 1621, when the cost of maintaining the colony as a whole became too expensive; it sold the colony to the Kiravian state but continued to maintain the plantations with specific deference from the colonial government.
Beverage creation
Since their earliest exploitation in the Songun Colonies, kola nuts had been used in various forms of beverages. However, what would become the signature product of the Imperial Cronan Plantation Company and later Imperial Cola was invented in 1784. Recent technological discoveries had made carbonated beverages possible. It was noticed that a blend of kola nut extract, sugar, and carbonated water produced an extremely pleasant flavor. The Plantation Company patented the blend and began to manufacture it in small quantities, as mass production of carbonated beverages was not possible before industrial manufacturing. It was popular among colonial elites as well as visiting dignitaries from Kiravia, and efforts were made to ramp up production. By 1810, a not-insignificant portion of the Plantation Company's total operations related to beverage manufacturing, and it was one of the first finished goods ready for export made in what would become Paulastra.
During the transition from a plantation company to a beverage company, Paulastra became an independent state. The Imperial Cronan Plantation Company became a method for Kiravia to still extract wealth and impose economic influence over the fledgling nation, and the presence of the Company played a large role in Kiravia's decision to abandon the pretense of military and political control over what would continue to be a profitable region.
Nationalization
International Growth
Products
Cola Flavors
Imperial Cola
Imperial Cola, sometimes referred to simply as "regular" in some marketing campaigns, is the flagship Imperial Cola product and the oldest continuously produced soft drink in the world.
Sunday Best
Imperial Cola Sunday Best is a version of Imperial Cola marketed with "Absolutely No Intoxicants", and is primarily aimed at Mercantile Reform Protestants who do not consume alcohol. It is very slightly sweeter than normal Imperial Cola. It is the most popular soft drink in Equitorial Ostiecia and other parts of Burgundie's overseas territories. Many scholars have noted that regular Imperial Cola contains no alcohol to start with, and many analysts have called Sunday Best one of the world's most successful marketing schemes.
Holy Reserve
Imperial Cola Holy Reserve is a limited offering variant of the standard Imperial Cola product. It retains much of the same flavor profile as the regular Imperial Cola with some key differences. The ratio of syrup to carbonated water is increased by 5%, and the product is sweetened exclusively using sugar grown along the Songun Sea. The Cola gets its name from being aged in oak barrels purchased from Urcea originally used for the creation of Communion wine, giving the soda a luscious and rich flavor compared to the normal cola. Holy Reserve, when paired, is usually mixed with higher end Songun sugar-sourced rum products.
Holy Reserve is sold on a limited basis as the aging process completes, and is not usually available in retail stores. Customers must submit themselves to a waiting list which includes a lottery process to determine their priority level. Customers can sometimes wait years for an opportunity to purchase Holy Reserve.