A man passes in front of bottles of bottles and cans Coca-Cola in a shopping center in Lagos, Nigeria, November 5, 2019.
TEMISSE ADELAJA | Reuters
Coca-Cola plans to introduce a version of its homonymous cola from cane sugar in the United States this fall, the company announced on Tuesday.
Coke has used high fructose corn syrup to soften its homonymous soda in the United States since the 1980s, although it still uses cane sugar on other markets like Mexico. “Mexican Coke” has gained popularity in the United States in the past decade, as retailers like Costco And Target Filled the drink, following bodegas and restaurants addressing Hispanic customers.
In a press release announcing its second quarter results on Tuesday, Coke said that the new product offer was “designed to complete the solid company’s basic portfolio and offer more choices through occasions and preferences”.
The announcement of the product comes after President Donald Trump published on Truth Social on Wednesday that he spoke with the company of the use of “Real Cane Sugar” in his American soda. Trump is a long -standing fan of Diet Coke, who uses the artificial sweetening aspartame, and even has a button in the oval desk to invoke the drink.
“As you may have seen last week, we appreciate the president’s enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand,” COKE CEO, James Quincey, said on Tuesday before announcing the new product.
Trump’s health and social services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. opposed vocally to the use of high -fructose corn syrup, blaming him for obesity and chronic diseases. Research does not suggest that cane sugar is a healthier option than corn syrup with high fructose content.
The long-standing rate rate quotas on sugar imported from other countries make goods a more expensive option than corn syrup, which is manufactured in the United States and supported by government grants to corn farmers.
Coke already softens some of its other American products with cane sugar, such as its lemonade, teas and vitamin water brand, according to Quincey.
“I think it’s a good sign that industry, including ourselves, is trying a lot of different things about cane sugar,” he told analysts.
Before Tuesday’s announcement, Coke had boasted moves to reduce the amount of sugar in its wallet – and customers like the switch. For example, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar was one of the fastest growth drinks for the company, with a volume growth of 9% last year.
Rival Pepsico also added cane sugar to its homonymous cola. On Monday, the company announced the next launch of Pepsi Prebiotic Cola, which includes three grams of fiber and five grams of cane sugar.