I. Trade secrets include any valuable business information that derives its value from the secrecy. Trade secrets can be very valuable to you whether you have developed new technology, designed original products, created the perfect recipe, or have a gold mine of customer data. One of the most famous trade secrets is the Coca Cola formula—a well-guarded secret for over 100 years. The business value of the formula is why the company goes to extremes to keep it confidential.