Coca-Cola for sale?

rockingtenn · 07-06-2006

Saw this on the news this morning. The nerve of some people. What gets me is they actually thought they would get away with this.

ATLANTA - Coca-Cola and Pepsi are usually bitter enemies, but when PepsiCo Inc. got a letter offering to sell Coke trade secrets, it went straight to its corporate rival.
Six weeks later, three people face federal charges of stealing confidential information, including a sample of a new drink, from The Coca-Cola Co. and trying to sell it to PepsiCo Inc.
“Competition can sometimes be fierce, but also must be fair and legal,” Pepsi spokesman Dave DeCecco said. “We’re pleased the authorities and the FBI have identified the people responsible for this.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13722797/

stickman · 07-06-2006

	Quote:	rockingtenn
	"We're pleased the authorities and the FBI have identified the people responsible for this."

I don't think it was as much the FBI as it was Pepsi executives doing the right thing.

I can see where it might be beneficial to want to know your competitors secrets, but in this case, I'm glad Pepsi stood up and did the right thing! I would hate to see them attempt to duplicate Coca-Cola's recipe. I think it shows not only is the company made of "the right stuff", but they are confident in their product!

Way to go Pepsi!

Pepsi - THE choice of a new generation!
From a loyal consumer!

debby · 07-06-2006

It's so good to see there are some good people in big business who are willing to do what is right.

gingin · 07-06-2006

I used to work for Coca-Cola. The competition between them & Pepsi is unbelievable! Two huge cut-throat companies who would stop at nothing... I saw a lot! Management was told/taught numerous ways to undermind the competition. I'm sure this is true with all large businesses in corporate America. We were not allowed to purchase ANY competitors products even when we were "off the clock" nor were we supposed to eat at restaurants that did not serve "our" products. You're given a list to keep with you at your first orientation. The list of "off limits" was very long & got very deep....

Blackjack · 07-06-2006

I worked for Nabisco and yes, we wanted to destroy Keebler. Completely shut them out of a store if possible. However, for PepsiCo. Inc. thank goodness there is Frito-Lay and Gatorade. With these two titans their stock price is almost at an all time high.

Easyrider · 07-06-2006

	Quote:	gingin
	I used to work for Coca-Cola. We were not allowed to purchase ANY competitors products even when we were "off the clock" nor were we supposed to eat at restaurants that did not serve "our" products.

Now that's a pretty TALL order to say you can't do something on "your own time"! Gin, Did you ever "break" that rule?? I guess it's like the health care company in the Midwest telling their associates they couldn't smoke in their free time. Seems to me it would be very hard to "police" the issue.

gingin · 07-06-2006

	Quote:	Easyrider
	Now that's a pretty TALL order to say you can't do something on "your own time"! Gin, Did you ever "break" that rule?? I guess it's like the health care company in the Midwest telling their associates they couldn't smoke in their free time. Seems to me it would be very hard to "police" the issue.

As you sign their policy when you are hired into management, you really feel that it's not optional. Hardest thing for me was NOT eating at Taco Bell (owned by PepsiCo) and NOT drinking Dr. Pepper. HOWEVER, we could go to Montgomery, Opelika or Scottsboro to attend the quarterly Area meetings & drink Dr. Pepper because Coke had the distribution in their area but Tuscaloosa & Dothan does not. I won't say I NEVER "broke their rule" but if I did (I literally crave diet Dr. Pepper), I was looking over my shoulder first.... We had a guy in maintenance get into serious trouble for being seen in a Coke van & in a Coke uniform in the drive-thru at KFC. One of the Sales Supervisors even took his pic with a digital camera & took it back to the Sales Center to report him. I'm telling you, the soft drink industry is VERY cut-throat. I had to work at our tent on the Quad at any home UA football games. We were instructed to offer anyone walking by drinking a competitors product one of ours & throw their's away.