The formula for Coca-Cola syrup, which bottlers combine with carbonated water to create the famous soft drink, is a closely guarded trade secret that belongs to the Coca-Cola Company. Company founder Asa Candler initiated the veil of secrecy that surrounds the formula in 1891 as a publicity, marketing, and intellectual property protection strategy. Several recipes, each purporting to be the authentic formula, have been published, but the company maintains that the actual formula remains a secret known only to very few employees, who each know a different part.