Coca-Cola announced Tuesday that it will launch a version of its trademark soda made with American cane sugar this fall. The latest move comes nearly a week after President Donald Trump claimed in a Truth Social post that Coca-Cola had agreed to use “REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States.”
“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, released on July 22. “This addition is designed to complement the company’s strong core portfolio and offer more choices across occasions and preferences.”
Coca-Cola products sold in the U.S. have been sweetened with high fructose corn syrup since the 1980s. However, per NBC News, Cola-Cola CEO James Quincey said on a July 22 earnings call that the company already uses cane sugar in its coffee and Simply brand lemonade, Honest Tea and Vitamin Water beverages.
“We appreciate the president’s enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand,” Quincey told investors, the Associated Press reported. “We are definitely looking to use the whole tool kit of available sweetening options.”
“We’re always looking for opportunities to innovate and see whether there’s an intersection of new ideas and where consumer preferences are evolving,” Quincey added. “It’s a good sign that the industry, including ourselves, are trying lots of different things.”
As for Coca-Cola’s rivals, both PepsiCo and Dr. Pepper have been selling their versions of cola sweetened with cane sugar in the U.S. since 2009. On July 21, PepsiCo said it plans to introduce a new prebiotic soda this fall, just months after acquiring Poppi. Called Pepsi Prebiotic Cola, the beverage will be available in 12-ounce cans and come in two flavors: Original Cola and Cherry Vanilla. It will also contain five grams of cane sugar, 30 calories and three grams of prebiotic fiber with no artificial sweeteners.
