Coca-Cola's success in building a global empire drew on more than a secret formula and brilliant advertising. The secret to Coke's success was its strategy to offload production costs and risks on to suppliers and franchisees. Outsourcing and a trim corporate profile enabled Coke to scale up production of a low-price beverage and realise huge profits.

But the costs shed by Coke have fallen on the public at large. Coke now uses an annual 79 billion gallons of water and its reliance on corn syrup has helped fuel our obesity crisis. Bartow J. Elmore explores Coke through its ingredients, showing how the company secured massive quantities of coca leaf, caffeine, sugar and other inputs. Coke became a giant in a world of abundance. In a world of scarcity it is a strain on resources and all who depend on them.