Coke's Rolling Out Cane Sugar Soda After Trump Push
Coca-Cola is rolling out a new cane sugar version of its soda after President Trump spent months publicly pushing the company to ditch high-fructose corn syrup.
The Atlanta company started introducing 12-ounce glass bottles of classic Coke made with U.S. cane sugar in "select markets." Supply chain issues are limiting how fast they can expand, according to CFO John Murphy.
"It's going to be a measured roll-out," Murphy told Bloomberg on Tuesday. "There is only a certain amount of cane sugar available in the United States."
So don't expect to find this everywhere anytime soon.
Trump Claimed Credit Back in July
Trump posted on Truth Social in July that he'd been talking to Coca-Cola about using "REAL Cane Sugar" and they agreed to do it.
"I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so," Trump wrote July 16. "I'd like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them — You'll see. It's just better!"
Coca-Cola didn't confirm Trump's claim at the time. Just said they'd share details on new offerings soon and appreciated his enthusiasm for their product.
CEO Announced it Later that Month
About two weeks after Trump's post, CEO James Quincey announced the company would bring out a Coke sweetened with U.S. cane sugar in the fall. He said it would "complement" and "expand" the product range.
Regular Coke still uses high-fructose corn syrup. This cane sugar version is a separate product line.
They Already Use Cane Sugar in Other Places
Mexican Coke has always used cane sugar. People who care about this stuff specifically seek out Mexican Coke because of the cane sugar. There's a whole subculture around it.
Coca-Cola also uses cane sugar in some other drinks already made in the U.S., just not the main Coke line. So it's not like this is revolutionary for them. They know how to make soda with cane sugar. They've been doing it for decades in other markets.
Part of the "Make America Healthy Again" Initiative
High-fructose corn syrup is one of the ingredients the Trump administration wants companies to remove from food and beverages as part of the whole MAHA initiative.
Whether cane sugar is actually healthier than high-fructose corn syrup is debatable. Both are sugar. Both spike blood glucose. Both contribute to weight gain and other health issues if consumed in excess.
Supply is Limited
Murphy wasn't kidding about the supply chain issues. The U.S. doesn't produce that much cane sugar compared to countries like Brazil, India, or Thailand. Most American sugar production is from sugar beets, not cane.
There's a reason high-fructose corn syrup became so dominant in American beverages—the U.S. produces tons of corn. It's cheap and abundant. Cane sugar costs more and there's less of it domestically.
So Coca-Cola can't just flip a switch and convert all production to cane sugar even if they wanted to. The supply isn't there to support that kind of volume.
The Rollout is Slow
Select markets means nobody knows exactly where you can find this yet. Coca-Cola hasn't released a list of which cities or states are getting it first.
The 12-ounce glass bottles are a throwback move. Glass bottles, cane sugar - it's got a retro vibe. Probably positioned as a premium product that costs more than regular Coke.
Whether it actually tastes better is subjective. Some people swear Mexican Coke tastes different because of the cane sugar. Others think it's placebo effect or the glass bottle making people think it tastes better.
Trump Gets What He Wanted, Sort of
The president pushed for this publicly and Coca-Cola delivered a cane sugar product. That's technically a win for him even though it's not replacing high-fructose corn syrup in regular Coke.
Whether his conversations actually influenced their product development timeline or if this was already in the works is unclear. Companies don't usually confirm or deny that kind of thing.
What This Means for Consumers
If you want Coke made with U.S. cane sugar, you'll be able to buy it in some places soon. It'll probably cost more than regular Coke. It might even come in glass bottles. It could taste slightly different or it might taste exactly the same depending on your palate.
For people who really care about avoiding high-fructose corn syrup, this gives them an option. For everyone else, it's just another version of Coke on the shelf.
The health benefits are marginal at best. You're still drinking soda with a bunch of sugar either way.
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