Little Known Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Cuba

Coca-Cola first established a presence in Cuba in 1906, operating a local bottling plant that thrived for decades. However, the iconic beverage vanished from Cuban shelves following the Cuban Revolution, which culminated in Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959.

On August 6, 1960, Castro’s government began nationalizing all foreign-owned assets—particularly American companies—as part of a sweeping economic overhaul. Coca-Cola was among the many U.S. businesses forced to withdraw. By 1962, production had ceased entirely, never to return.