Candler, Asa Griggs

Asa Griggs Candler, (born Dec. 30, 1851, near Villa Rica, Ga., U.S.—died March 12, 1929, Atlanta, Ga.), U.S. soft-drink manufacturer who developed Coca-Cola.

Born on a farm, Candler studied medicine, became a pharmacist, and developed a prosperous wholesale drug business. In 1887 he purchased the formula for Coca-Cola, then not particularly well-known, from a business associate. He improved the manufacturing process and built Coca-Cola into one of the most prosperous of U.S. businesses. Under Candler the firm was most successful in the South. He sold the business in 1919 for $25,000,000. Candler also devoted his energy to philanthropy. With his financial aid, Emory College, located near Atlanta, moved into the city and expanded to become Emory University. His gift of nearly $2,000,000 made possible the construction of a teaching hospital adjacent to the university’s medical school.