Coca-Cola to Launch US Cane Sugar Version of Classic Drink
Coca-Cola is gearing up to launch a version of its iconic beverage sweetened with cane sugar in the United States.
This follows a statement by US President Donald Trump, who claimed a conversation with the company led them to replace high-fructose corn syrup.
While the beverage giant confirms the addition of cane sugar in its formulations, it clarifies that this change isn’t a complete transition away from corn syrup.
The move coincides with the announcement of Coca-Cola’s Q2 earnings for 2025.
On an investor call, James Quincey, the company’s Chair and CEO, told shareholders that Coke intends “to expand our trademark… product range with US cane sugar to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences”.
Importantly, the new formula will complement existing products rather than replace them entirely.
“This is really an ‘and’ strategy and not an ‘or’ strategy,” James says. “We are going to continue to use a lot of the corn syrup that we do now.
”This expansion arrives as part of a wider context, as the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has been promoting a public health campaign titled 'Make America healthy again', or MAHA, with a focus on food and drink ingredients.”
Integrating cane sugar alongside existing sweeteners
This initiative aligns with broader public health discussions, particularly with Robert F Kennedy Jr’s campaign.
In the same week, Trump posted on social media: “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. I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola.”
He adds: “This will be a very good move by them – You’ll see. It’s just better!”
Cane sugar is already part of the Mexican version of Coca-Cola, which is accessible in the US but at a significantly higher cost.
A crucial factor here is the limited domestic supply of cane sugar, limiting Coca-Cola’s adoption scale even if consumer demand exists.
In the US market, the cane sugar used will be locally sourced where possible, but supply constraints make complete substitution infeasible.
This necessitates a dual-ingredient strategy, factoring in region, availability and cost dynamics.
Health authorities consistently assert that changing the type of sugar doesn’t substantially alter nutritional impact.
“Excess consumption of sugar from any source harms health,” says Eva Greenthal, Senior Policy Scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
“To make the US food supply healthier, the Trump administration should focus on less sugar, not different sugar.”
Corn syrup has faced scrutiny over its association with US obesity rates, yet Coca-Cola defends its use.
In a company statement, it says: “High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) – which we use to sweeten some of our beverages – is actually just a sweetener made from corn. It’s safe; it has about the same number of calories per serving as table sugar and is metabolised in a similar way by your body.”
It adds that the American Medical Association (AMA) “has confirmed that HFCS is no more likely to contribute to obesity than table sugar or other full-calorie sweeteners”.
The company concludes: “Please be assured that Coca-Cola brand soft drinks do not contain any harmful substances.”
Business performance amidst product changes
In its latest financial update, Coca-Cola reports a 1% decrease in global unit case volume yet sees an equivalent 1% increase in net revenues.
Organic revenues have risen by 5% and operating income has surged by 63%.
Coca-Cola also notes an operating margin of 34.1%, a rise from 21.3% reported in the same timeframe last year.
Excluding currency impacts, this margin slightly increases to 34.7%.
James attributes this to resilience and agility in a changing market: “Amid a shifting external landscape in the second quarter, the ability of our system to stay both focused and flexible enabled us to stay on course in the first half of the year.”
He adds: “We continue to execute with a clear intent on our priorities and are confident in our trajectory to deliver on our updated 2025 guidance and longer-term objectives.”
For now, the new cane sugar Coke is on its way – but the original isn’t going anywhere.
