YouTuber LabCoatz says they’ve managed to recreate Coca-Cola’s famous flavor after spending a full year breaking down the drink’s closely guarded formula.
Despite Coke being one of the world’s most recognizable brands for more than a century, the exact recipe behind it has always remained a mystery. According to long-standing lore, only two employees know the full formula at any given time, passing the secret on to successors — making it one of the most protected recipes in modern history.
That secrecy didn’t stop LabCoatz. The science-focused creator has gone viral after sharing what they describe as a “chemically identical” version of Coca-Cola. The video quickly became their most-watched, racking up millions of views in just days.
To crack the recipe, LabCoatz spent a year analyzing every part of the drink. While most ingredients are listed on the label, the vague term “natural flavors” became the biggest puzzle. Their research suggests those flavors are largely based on coca leaf extract without cocaine. An attempt to import it reportedly failed, forcing the creator to take a different route.
With help from specialists, LabCoatz used mass spectrometry to separate Coke into its chemical components, then spent months fine-tuning the formula through constant testing and adjustments.
After nearly a year of trial and error, they say they finally achieved a breakthrough. The full replica recipe is now public, though recreating it at home would require specialized equipment and a long list of ingredients. Still, LabCoatz claims it’s possible to make large batches cheaply once everything is in place.
And for anyone wondering about legal trouble — the YouTuber points out that Coca-Cola’s recipe has never been patented, meaning there’s nothing stopping others from attempting their own version.