US Politics
Trump’s plan to improve Coca-Cola by making it more Mexican hits an immediate snag
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President Donald Trump’s push for Coca-Cola to make its signature soda in the U.S. using cane sugar has already hit a snag, according to a new report.
Trump, a known fan of Diet Coke, announced in July that he spoke with Coca-Cola about “using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so.” American Coke is typically made with high-fructose corn syrup, while Mexican Coke — which is imported from Mexico and packaged in glass bottles — uses cane sugar.
Coca-Cola started officially importing Mexican Coke to the U.S. in 2005, and it now has a cult-like following on social media, The New York Times reports.
Coca-Cola Chief Financial Officer John Murphy told Bloomberg the company has started to produce Coke made with American cane sugar, but that it will only be available through a limited roll-out at first, due to supply chain issues.
“It’s going to be a measured roll-out,” Murphy said. “There is only a certain amount of cane sugar available in the United States.”
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In addition to the sugar supply issues, ramping up production of glass bottles — which requires different processes than cans — has also limited the roll-out, Murphy told the outlet.
“If you look at the success of Mexican Coke in the United States, it’s a combination of the product and the package and we’re very keen to offer that same combination using American cane sugar,” he said.
The company’s “phased roll out” will start off in a select number of stores before scaling up in 2026, Bloomberg reports.
When contacted for comment about the new product, a Coca-Cola spokesperson told The Independent the product is rolling out this fall.
“This fall, we’ve introduced a new 12-oz single-serve glass bottle in select U.S. markets, offering consumers a classic and timeless way to enjoy their Coca-Cola Original Taste made with U.S. cane sugar,” the spokesperson said. “This launch reflects our ongoing commitment to giving people more ways to enjoy the beverages they love.”
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Coca-Cola first announced the project in July, days after the president said he had spoken with the company.
“As part of its ongoing innovation agenda, this fall in the United States, the company plans to launch an offering made with U.S. cane sugar to expand its Trademark Coca‑Cola product range,” the company said in its second-quarter earnings report.
“This addition is designed to complement the company’s strong core portfolio and offer more choices across occasions and preferences.”
Trump’s conversation with Coca-Cola comes amid his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also weighed in on the issue, applauding Steak ‘n Shake in July for announcing that it would offer Coca-Cola made with cane sugar.
“MAHA is winning,” Kennedy wrote.
While high-fructose corn syrup consumption has been shown to negatively impact health, nutrition experts have said cane sugar is not necessarily healthier.
“Our bodies aren’t going to know if that’s cane sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. We just know that it is sugar and we need to break that down,” Caroline Susie, a registered dietitian nutritionist and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Health.
