Rabbi Yerachmiel Morrison, the Rabbinic Coordinator of Orthodox Union Kosher, spoke to Israel National News - Arutz Sheva during the OU's celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of its kashrut division about his relationship with the Coca Cola soda company and how he helps the company ensure its products remain kosher while protecting the secrecy of the formula of its popular soda.
Rabbi Morrison said that his "mission" is "to help the company produce products which are kasher lemehadrin (the most stringent level of kashrut). That is the mission, and that is what we seek to accomplish."
When asked about the famous saying, 'only the founder of Coca Cola and the mashgiach (kashrut supervisor) know the formula,' he replied: "Obviously, we cannot produce products which are kasher and kasher lemehadrin without knowing everything about the production."
"More than that I could not say, except that clearly we need to know what goes into the production, how it is made, and every stage of the production. It's a complicated process of production, everybody knows only what he needs to know," he added.
"I have been working with the Coca Cola company for close to 30 years now, and over the years many people have tried to get information. You won't get any information from me unless you need to get that information, with the permission of the company," he declared.
Another person who knew the formula was the late Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Avraham Elkana Cahana Shapira, zts"L, who would not grant the beverage an Israeli Rabbinate heksher (kosher certification) without being given that information and attendant details.