Coca-Cola launches Trump-approved cane sugar soda in the U.S.
Coca-Cola is rolling out a new version of its classic soda made with U.S. cane sugar. But where it’s being sold is still unclear.
The Atlanta beverage giant has introduced a new 12-ounce, 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,” a spokesperson said in a written statement.
The spokesperson did not answer questions about where in the U.S. the new product would be sold and by what retailers. Bloomberg reported Coca-Cola will start in a few markets before scaling up heading into 2026.
It comes just months after President Donald Trump said on social media that he talked Coca-Cola into using cane sugar. Coca-Cola has used high fructose corn syrup in some of its U.S.-made sodas since the 1980s and will continue to in its classic namesake soda.
“This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see,” Trump said in July on his social media platform, Truth Social. “It’s just better!”
The administration has pressured food and beverage companies to change ingredients as part of its “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
Just days after Trump’s social media post in July, Coca-Cola confirmed plans for a new Coke product with cane sugar “as part of its ongoing innovation agenda.”
But there’s a hitch.
John Murphy, Coca-Cola president and chief financial officer, told Bloomberg this week the company is limited on how much it can produce. That’s because of supply constraints of U.S. cane sugar and also the company’s capacity to produce the drink in glass bottles, he said.
“It’s going to be a measured rollout,” Murphy told Bloomberg.
Duane Stanford, editor and publisher of trade publication Beverage Digest, said in July he was skeptical Coca-Cola would make a widespread change to its ingredients because it would require reengineering a massive supply chain.
It also costs more to use cane sugar.
Coca-Cola already uses cane sugar in other countries such as Mexico, and “Mexican Coke” is available for sale in tall, glass bottles in many stores in the U.S.
Coca-Cola also uses cane sugar in some of its other U.S. products, such as lemonade, tea and Vitaminwater drinks.
“We are definitely looking to use … the whole tool kit of available sweetening options, to some extent, where there are consumer preferences,” Chairman and CEO James Quincey said on a July earnings call.
The Food and Drug Administration says it’s not aware of any evidence that products with high fructose corn syrup are less safe than those with sugar.
“For over a century, the Coca-Cola contour glass bottle has been an icon of refreshment and connection,” the company spokesperson said Wednesday. “This launch reflects our ongoing commitment to giving people more ways to enjoy the beverages they love.”
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