Lots of businesses have successfully kept trade secrets for decades, many very famous and gigantic company's recipes are trade secrets. Companies know that if they patent it, it will be in the public domain eventually, whereas trade secrets can stay secret indefinitely, theoretically.
That would be an easy criminal case. Trade secrets arguably are better protected by the law than patents for certain types of knowledge.
GoreTex and Coke are still secrets.
Coke's secret is marketing, and to a lesser extent being able to use coca leaves due to historical reasons.
The vast number of off brand cola and waterproof fabric products would seem to imply that marketing is the operative force rather than the secret recipe.
Knock off Coke that tastes just as good would surely hit at it’s dominance - you’d end up with a levelled playing field more like wine is.
Meh, I don't think I agree that they don't taste just as good (at least some of them).
Really feels like it's just marketing.
> Knock off Coke that tastes just as good would surely hit at it’s dominance
Coke is all about marketing not the taste.
Goretex is absolutely not a trade secret. It's stretched PTFE (aka ePTFE).