IT'S NOT THE SECRET, SILLY!

It's not the secret, silly!

The IPKat is shocked to discover from the BBC that US prosecutors have charged three people with stealing secrets from soft drinks company Coca-Cola which they tried to sell to its mortal rival PepsiCo. The report names three employees who allegedly took product samples and documents. PepsiCo cooperated with both the FBI and Coca-Cola after being contacted by someone looking to sell information.

Coca-Cola says the secret formula of its main drink - sold in the distinctive red and white cans - had not been compromised, but adds that it will be reviewing its security procedures. A PepsiCo spokesman said his company was happy to have helped its rival:

"Competition can sometimes be fierce, but also must be fair and legal".

The IPKat is impressed at PepsiCo's integrity, which it will doubtless make great play with when marketing its own product in future. Merpel adds, how silly to try to steal product secrets - the real treasure is the Coca-Cola brand itself. Anyone with access to a reasonable laboratory can analyse and replicate Coke's products, but the brand is literally irreplaceable.

Coca-Cola's recipe has allegedly been a trade secret for 120 years.

Read about the Coca-Cola formula here and here
Coke and dissolving teeth here
Coke and cocaine here
Popular Coke myths here