There are many science fiction stories telling us about the future with a developed capitalist society, where everything is accessible and you can buy anything. Huge international corporations twist our world the way they want, buy and sell, no matter what. Ladies and gentlemen, this future is already our reality. Companies that produce drinks and food are no longer just suppliers of favorite snacks, but large corporations that can influence various processes in our lives. For example, you know that ...
1
They break down language barriers
Imagine that you are in another country. You do not know the area, do not know the culture, people, do not know the language. An incomprehensible speech sounds around, not even closely resembling English. It’s so hot that you would kill for a glass of cold Coke. But how to buy it if you cannot talk to the seller? What would you say, to be understood, and you would receive a long-awaited drink. Perhaps you just say “Coca-Cola.”
According to international research, Coca-Cola is the second most famous term on Earth. Only the omnipresent “OK” is behind.
2
They grow like mushrooms
From the outside it may seem that new eateries and cafes with fast food open every day. It really is.
For example, the KFC brand will open 100 new eateries in India before the end of the year. And for several years, McDonald's has opened a new cafe in China every day.
Starbucks statistics show that between 1987 and 2000, they opened two eateries per day. They made fun of them for such wild growth. Many of their cafes were closed due to imbalance. But they are not going to stop. They announced plans to open 4,000 new cafes in America.
3
They earn so much that they outstripped the economies of some countries
GDP shows us the welfare of a country. We can often hear the term on television from the news. Developing and third countries have GDP that cannot be compared with developed countries. But even some companies are able to compete in this indicator with countries.
For example, McDonald's in 2010 showed a profit that overlapped Latvia's GDP. The small country of Oman near Saudi Arabia cannot compete with Pepsi's revenue. They have a difference of more than two billion dollars. It's about crazy numbers. By the way, TheBiggest.ru has an article about the largest companies in the world.
4
They feed the US Army
Men know that food in the army, frankly, is not very good. I want something everyday. How about a burger?
Back in the 80s of the last century, a major contract was signed between the US Army and Burger King. Now in every military base you can find an eatery with fast food from this company.
Such mini-restaurants were opened not only at bases located in the United States, but also at a base in Kandahar (Afghanistan). True, in 2010 it was closed because it occupied a usable area. But then in 2012 they re-opened in view of the decline in the fighting spirit of the soldiers. And if your favorite burgers bother soldiers? It doesn’t matter, there are still Popeyes Chicken and Pizza Hut at the base. But is such a neighborhood useful for the physical fitness of soldiers? Hardly.
And about the most powerful armies in the world, read our article!
5
They just have a huge assortment
Not everyone knows that Coca-Cola company produces not only its famous drink. There are different options for Coca-Cola: diet, zero, vanilla and even double Cola. Also under their brand are Dasani water and Poweraid fortified water.
All these variations with tastes, calories and assortment greatly expand the range of products. How many different brands of drinks do you think they have? Thirty? Hundred? - Not. More than three thousand!
In Russia, for example, Kaka-Cola produces kvass called "Mug and Barrel", as well as lemonade "Duchesse" and "Pinocchio."
6
They are more significant than religion.
Religion outside peoples and languages. Regardless of language and culture, religion exists in one form among different peoples. But the well-known religious symbols in reality are not as famous as the brands of fast food restaurants.
Surveys have shown that the McDonalds brand golden letter M is more recognizable than the symbol of the crucifixion of Christ. If you watch the movie "Double Serving", then American children are well acquainted with Ronald MacDonald and Wendy, but not with religious characters.
This is an indicator that these signs are constantly on our eyes. Even if you don’t eat fast food, you see ads on TV, on billboards ... everywhere.
7
They create the illusion of choice
Which cafe would you choose - Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken or Taco Bell? However, it is not so important, because all these brands are owned by Yum! Brands. "
We have been familiar with many brands since childhood, but not everyone knows that they produce a much larger assortment of goods. For example, the company "Pepsi Co." owns Quaker oats, and she, in turn, produces various rice cereals, convenience foods, pastries, and more. There are other companies under the sign of Pepsi, which are engaged in the production of chips, pastries and even coffee.
But maybe you don’t want to try all these products. Instead, you would drink your favorite Lipton tea. And even here you can’t escape - Lipton is also in their hands. And there are a lot of such examples. It seems to you that you are buying an exclusive product, and this is still the same brand, only with a different name.
8
They can easily change their products.
Agree that people in different countries prefer one thing in food. Muslims will not eat pork, Indians do not eat beef. Therefore, companies can easily adjust their business to the needs and demands of the population.
The KFC network in China is successfully running its business. But Chinese KFC eateries are different from those known in Europe or America. It offers dishes that are related to Chinese food traditions. Shrimp burgers, lots of seafood and soy drinks and are mostly eaten with chopsticks. In general, everything is done to please the Asian buyer.
They can make changes for religious reasons. Fast food restaurants are also very popular in India, but the business would not have been so successful if there had been beef. For Indians, this is out of the question. There are even cafes that serve vegetarian burgers. Also in Muslim countries where pork is banned.
On our site there is an interesting article about the most numerous religions of the world! We highly recommend reading it.
9
They convince us that there is nothing good in plain water.
Everyone knows the importance of water in our lives. People should always have access to water, without it one cannot survive. It has been scientifically proven that ordinary water is more valuable to the body than all kinds of carbonated drinks, stuffed with incomprehensible than. But this goes against the business of companies.
Therefore, Pepsi President Robert Morrison called tap water the worst enemy and launched the H2NO campaign.
This action was invented in order to convince the uselessness and even harmfulness of ordinary water. Carbonated drinks were presented as healing nectar, without which nowhere. It seems like nonsense, but this action has done its job.
Look, after all, many of us are accustomed to buying bottled juices and water, since advertising has convinced us since childhood that they have all sorts of good things for our body. Maybe there is something useful, but the same minerals can be replenished by drinking ordinary tap water for free.
10
They want to hire everyone
If you are a teenager from Brazil, then most likely you work at McDonald's. This is because McDonald's in Brazil is very popular with young people as a place of work. The company holds a leading position among employers in the country. Its staff numbers more than 36,000 young Brazilians. Most of them are not even 21 years old.
But not only in Brazil. The company plans to hire 75,000 Chinese workers. In the USA, too, every eighth resident was somehow connected with fast food throughout his life.
If you think about it, there is nothing wrong with that. Nowadays, it is not so easy for students or young people to find work. Working in fast food is an acceptable option for many.