Coca-Cola has announced plans to introduce a product made with cane sugar sourced in the US this year, following recent claims by Donald Trump that the company would stop using high-fructose corn syrup.
The decision was detailed in the company’s quarterly earnings report released on Tuesday.
During an investor call, Coca-Cola’s chairperson and CEO, James Quincey, stated that the new offering would broaden the company’s product lineup to cater to consumer preferences for distinct variations.
Quincey emphasized that the sugar-based product would act as an addition to Coca-Cola’s primary selection rather than a substitute for its main Coke beverage.
“This is a strategy meant to expand, not replace,” Quincey noted, according to the Wall Street Journal. “We will continue utilizing corn syrup as we currently do.”
The company already sells a version of Coke in the US made with cane sugar—marketed under the name “Mexican Coke”—though it is typically priced much higher than the standard product.
A key hurdle is the limited supply of US-grown cane sugar, which cannot fully meet domestic demand.
The announcement coincides with broader shifts in the food and beverage industry, influenced by discussions around health initiatives like the “Make America Healthy Again” proposal from US health official Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
However, experts caution that beverages containing cane sugar are not necessarily healthier than those made with corn syrup.
Eva Greenthal, a senior policy scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, previously told CNN: “Consuming too much sugar, regardless of its source, is detrimental to health. Efforts to improve public health should focus on reducing sugar intake overall, not simply switching from one type to another.”
Coca-Cola reaffirmed its use of corn syrup—a product some link to rising obesity rates—after Trump stated on 16 July that he had persuaded the company to transition to sugar-based sweeteners in US products.
“I spoke with Coca-Cola about using real cane sugar in their US beverages, and they agreed. Appreciation to the leadership at Coca-Cola,” Trump posted on social media.
“This is a positive step—you’ll see. It’s just better.”
In response, Coca-Cola clarified that high-fructose corn syrup is a corn-derived sweetener with a similar calorie count and metabolic response as regular sugar.
The company cited a statement from the American Medical Association asserting that high-fructose corn syrup is no more likely to contribute to obesity than other sweeteners. It also confirmed that its beverages contain no harmful ingredients.
In 2023, the AMA acknowledged there was insufficient evidence to justify specific restrictions on high-fructose corn syrup compared to other calorie-containing sweeteners.
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