(center) Mat Sanchez, hand a free ice-cold Coca~Cola to (L-R) Cheri Short, Marcia Woloshun, and Lisa Sprenkle at the Third Street Promenade on Monday, April 7, 2008. (top) Marcia, Cheri and Lisa drink their cokes at the promenade. (Above) Coca~Cola was promoting their new 'collectable' 8.5 ounce bottle by giving away free samples at the Third Street Promenade on Monday. Coca-Cola is sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines in more than 200 countries. The first Coca-Cola recipe was invented in Columbus, Georgia, by John Stith Pemberton in 1885. Coca-Cola is not only the best-selling soft drink in the world, it is possibly the most recognized brand name. The company has been a leader in product development, advertising, and marketing for more than one hundred years, and has gone from annual sales of $50 in 1886 to worldwide sales of $20 billion in 2001. In the United States Coke has become as much an American icon as hot dogs, baseball, and McDonalds. Coca-Cola  is often referred to simply as Coke.