[Lee Stewart]

Beyond its carbonation and cola flavor, Pepsi shares something in common with its main competitor, Coca-Cola. Pepsi also was originally formulated by a pharmacist: North Carolina's Caleb Bradham, who in the 1890s began selling the concoction as 'Brad's Drink.' He touted the drink's medicinal properties. Indeed, the name Pepsi-Cola, introduced in 1898, implies its origin as a health tonic: 'Pepsi' is taken from pepsin, a digestive enzyme used in Bradham's original formula. Just as Coca-Cola no longer contains cocaine, Pepsi no longer includes pepsin. In 1898, Bradham wisely bought the rights to the trade name 'Pep Cola' from a bankrupt competitor. He trademarked the new name in 1903.