The Origins of Packaging

In 1896, the Unita Biscuit Company invested over $1 million to design a package that wrapped the biscuits in protective wax paper inside a carton. On the outside was a colorful illustration of a boy in a bright yellow raincoat. It was the first time packaging had a dual purpose: it allowed the company to keep its products fresh over long distances. Once Coke could be transported and sold in places other than soda fountains, sales exploded. By 1928, Coke bottles had overtaken soda fountain sales. In 1949, 99% of North Americans could identify a Coke bottle by its silhouette alone.