The document summarizes 10 famous companies with unusual origins: 1) NASCAR began from bootleggers who illegally transported whiskey and raced to evade the police. One driver helped form NASCAR in 1948. 2) Fanta was created in Nazi Germany by Coca-Cola's German chief after WWII cut off syrup shipments. He used leftover cheese and apple products to develop the new orange-flavored drink. 3) Early Coca-Cola contained small amounts of cocaine from coca leaves in its secret formula, which was intended as a nerve tonic.

1. 10 Famous
companies
with bizarre
origins

2. NASCAR was started by bootleggers
It is undeniable that the roots of NASCAR can be traced
back to the days of prohibition in the U.S. While many
believe this is an urban legend, it is, in fact, true.
In the early days of prohibition, "moonshine runners"
(illegal whiskey delivery boys) would drive like
maniacs to give the slip to federal officers. These
drivers quickly gained a reputation for outrunning the
police.
No one knows exactly when the drivers started
competing against each other, but soon everybody was
talking about the moonshine runners. In 1948, one of
the drivers, Big Bill Francis, gathered everyone together
– drivers, car owners and mechanics – to form the
National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing
(NASCAR) and the rest is history.
1

3. Fanta was created during WWII in
Germany after Coca-Cola stopped
shipping its syurp
Yes, we are talking about the bubbly, fizzy orange drink
manufactured by Coca-Cola that is very popular in Europe,
parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America, but did you know
that the origins of this beverage could be traced back to
Nazi Germany?
The events of December 7, 1941 – Pearl Harbor – brought
WWII to U.S. shores. However, Pearl Harbor also played a
vital role for Coca-Cola in a slightly different way.
After the attack on American soil, Coca-Cola stopped
shipping its intimately guarded secret syrup to Germany.
This meant Max Keith, the chief of Coca-Cola in Germany,
was no longer able to produce the world's favorite fizzy
beverage and stocks were quickly depleting.
Max, determined to keep Germany awash in soda, brought
together some random ingredients including some leftover
by-products from a local cheese factory, remains of apple
after being processed for cider and a mountain of artificial
sugar. The result was Fanta, a drink that quickly caught on
all over Nazi Germany not only because it was quite tasty,
but also because it made an excellent substitute for soup
broth.
When the war ended, Fanta production was stopped then
re-introduced, (with slight improvements) to compete with
Pepsi.
2

4. Cocaine was in Coca-Cola's secret
syrup
Ever wondered how the world's favorite drink got its
name? Coke's super secret formula may have
something to do with it.
Coke's original formula had two main ingredients that
gave the beverage its distinct flavor – coca leaves and
cola nut. Yes, we are talking about the same coca leaves
that are used in cocaine. Coke did contain a small
amount of cocaine (or fluid extract of coca leaf).
Back in the day, cocaine was widely used as a
medication and the soft drink was developed to be a
tonic for nerves. When the draconian effects of cocaine
were finally discovered, Coke altered its formula to use
processed Coca leaves (after extracting the drug) which
it uses to this day.
Coca-Cola's history is a lot murkier than this, but that
could be the topic of a whole new list.
3

5. Zildjian cymbals were once used for
warfare
Avedis Zildjian is one of the most recognizable brands in
the world of music. You would be hard pressed to find any
percussionist who doesn't swear by Zildjian cymbals,
however only a handful know that these popular
instruments of music were once popular instruments of
war.
Zildjian cymbals have a history that dates back to a 17th
Century Armenian alchemist named Avedis. In a bid to turn
bronze to gold, Avedis figured out a way to combine silver,
copper and tin with bronze in a way that allowed the alloy
to be beaten into incredibly thin discs. These discs
produced an incredibly high pitch sound when struck and
were also lightweight and easy to carry. Avedis knew that
the emperor's army could use the discs as a weapon of
intimidation.
Avedis took his invention to the ruler of the Ottoman
Empire, Sultan Osman II, and became a Zildjian (Armenian
for cymbal-maker).
Centuries later, Avedis' descendants continue to use the
secretly guarded ancient technique to make the famous
cymbals which are known for their sustain, power and
clarity of sound.
4

6. Kellogg's Corn Flakes were invented
to control masturbation
During the early 1900s, one of the greatest taboos was
masturbation. People firmly believed that the practice
would lead to mental and physical health problems,
thanks to the hard work of a handful of anti-
masturbation crusaders.
John Kellogg was a trained physician and nutritionist
who attempted to deter masturbating youth with
techniques such as sewing the male foreskin with a
silver wire and burning the female clitoris with carbolic
acid.
Kellogg believed meat created sexual urges and insisted
that people should consume more cereal and nuts to
curb their masturbation. He created Kellogg's Corn
Flakes with his brother Will, who worked as a
bookkeeper at the sanatorium where John practiced.
Will was not interested in marketing corn flakes as an
anti-masturbation supplement and instead sold the
sugar-coated flakes as a breakfast alternative.
5

7. Graham crackers – another anti-
masturbation food
Graham crackers were a part of an essential diet
designed by Sylvester Graham to help people control
their sexual urges.
Much like John Kellogg, Sylvester Graham pushed a
cereal/nut based diet and asked people to not consume
meat.
The original recipe for graham crackers called for bland
biscuits made out of unrefined flour, but the crackers
have undergone many changes over the years and the
present version has very few similarities to its original
ancestor.
6

8. Santitary napkins were designed to
stop bullet wounds
The history of sanitary napkin manufacturer Kotex
dates all the way back to World War I.
In 1914, paper supplier Kimberly-Clark developed a
unique product processed from wood known as
"cellucotton." The material had over 5 times the
absorbing capacity of cotton and was half the price.
Cellucotton was used by the U.S. military during World
War I to stop wounded soldiers from bleeding to death.
After the war, Kimberly-Clark decided to
re-purpose Cellucotton to create disposable sanitary
napkins. This was groundbreaking at a time when only
cotton rags were being used by women for their
sanitary needs.
Cellucotton transformed itself into Cellunap and
eventually Kotex (Cotton-Textile) thanks to some clever
marketing efforts by the Charles F.W. Nichols Company.
By 1945, every American woman was using sanitary
pads.
7

9. Hollywood was established as a
farming community
When it was established in the mid-1850s, Hollywood
was once on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The land and
weather were conducive to agriculture all year round.
Hollywood was a thriving community of farmers until
the early 1900s when moviemakers were attracted to
the area for the same reasons. When the first film
studio, the Nestor Company, set up shop in 1911 others
followed suit and the rest, as they say, is history.
8

10. The truth about cow bile in Red Bull
Admit it, most of you have at least one can of Red Bull stashed
away somewhere in your home. Did you know that the world's
favorite energy drink has some skeletons in its closet?
No, we are not talking about the urban legend that suggests Red
Bull has bull sperm. What it does have is an amino acid most
commonly found in cow bile.
Dietrich Mateschitz (the guy who created Red Bull) came across
a rejuvenating tonic sold in Thailand that went by the name
"Krating Daeng" (Red Water Buffalo). Mateschitz found that the
tonic worked incredibly well in curing his jetlag and he was
immediately struck with an idea.
Mateschitz rebranded the syrup for the western market after
tinkering with the original recipe. The main components of Red
Bull are taurine (the stuff that gives you the wings), caffeine and
loads of artificial sugar.
Taurine (Greek for bull urine) is a product that is found most
abundantly in cow bile. It is present naturally in most mammals
and trace amounts of taurine can also be found in meat and
diary products. Studies suggest that it is safe for consumption in
small quantities.
The taurine in Red Bull is the source of all the controversies
associated with the drink (including the one about bull sperm).
Sadly for conspiracy theorists, Red Bull synthesizes taurine in
laboratory and not from bovine urine as many may lead you to
believe.
9

11. Lululemon is the result of excessive
divorce rates and smoking
Lululemon is the latest entry into the list of famous companies
with bizarre origins. CEO Chip Wilson wrote a blog about how
birth control and changes in the lifestyle of women over the past
few decades eventually gave way to the creation of lululemon.
In his blog, Wilson talks about how divorce and the hunt for
equality led women to give up important aspects of life such as
exercise, sleep and a social life. He goes on to say that this power
hungry lifestyle led women to smoke and develop a taste for
martinis. In turn, smoking and excessive usage of birth control
led to more women developing breast cancer. According to Chip,
"lululemon was formed because female education levels, breast
cancer, yoga/athletics and the desire to dress feminine came
together all at one time."
Not sure if it qualifies for a bizarre origin, but Chip Wilson sure
does know how to whip up a controversy. After all, it did get
lululemon into the limelight, even if it was for all the wrong
reasons.
10