Coca-Cola
In 1886, Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton, a wounded Civil War veteran, was seeking a cure for his painkiller addiction. Through experimentation, he created a medicinal tonic containing small amounts of cocaine, as well as the caffeine-rich kola nut. This mixture, combined with carbonated water, was the original formula for Coca-Cola. In the years following, fellow pharmacist Asa Candler secured the formula and rights to the beverage for a reported sum of $2,300. (It’s worth noting that the company stopped adding cocaine extracts to the drink by 1903.)
Potato Chips
The popular potato chip was born out of spite in 1853. At Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, New York, a demanding patron repeatedly rejected chef George Crum’s French fries, claiming they were too thick. Frustrated, Crum decided to teach the diner a lesson. He sliced a potato paper-thin and fried the pieces to an unusable, brittle crisp. To Crum’s surprise, the customer loved the crunchy slices, and they became an instant sensation. Customers began requesting the new creation, which was known as “Saratoga Chips” until the mid-20th century.
Popsicles
In 1905, eleven-year-old Frank Epperson was mixing powdered soda and water to make soda pop. He accidentally left the drink on his porch overnight. When he returned the next morning, he found the liquid had frozen solid, with the stirring stick frozen upright. Epperson discovered that his frozen fruit-flavored concoction was delicious. He originally called his invention ‘Epsicles’ and began selling them. In 1923, he patented the idea, eventually changing the name to the one we know today: the Popsicle.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
The chocolate chip cookie was invented in 1930 by Ruth Graves Wakefield at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts. While baking a batch of regular cookies, Ruth ran out of the standard baker’s chocolate. As a substitute, she broke a bar of semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces and added them to the dough, expecting them to melt and blend. Instead, the chocolate pieces held their shape, softening into distinct chips throughout the cookie. Ruth’s unexpected invention was an immediate hit. She later reached an agreement with Nestlé to print the “Toll House Cookie” recipe on their packaging in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate.
Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
In 1894, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, superintendent of The Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, and his younger brother, William Keith Kellogg, were attempting to make bread dough from boiled wheat. Unexpectedly, they were called away to the sanitarium, and the wheat dough went stale by the time they returned. Rather than discarding it, they decided to roll out the dough anyway. Instead of a cohesive sheet, the wheat flattened into small, thin flakes. The brothers toasted the flakes, finding them crunchy and tasty. They initially experimented with different grains before settling on corn to create the first batch of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.
Chewing Gum
The first successful chewing gum factory in America was the result of a failed venture. In 1869, Thomas Adams of New York was attempting to use chicle, a natural gum from the sapodilla tree in Mexico, as a substitute for rubber to make items like toys and tires. Every attempt failed. Frustrated, Adams one day put a piece of the surplus chicle in his mouth. He liked the chewy texture and realized it could be an excellent base for flavored chewing gum. Shortly after, he
began adding flavoring and opened the world’s first chewing gum factory. In February 1871, Adams’s “New York Gum” went on sale in drugstores for a penny apiece.
Diet Soda
The world’s first sugar-free, zero-calorie, carbonated soft drink, called “No-Cal,” was invented by Hyman Kirsch and his son Morris in 1952. They developed the sugar-free drink, initially a ginger ale, to benefit those suffering from diabetes.