The Coca-Cola Company has announced plans for a new recipe, following a surprising claim by Donald Trump that he was changing the beloved beverage.
This new drink will be an addition to the traditional version of Coca-Cola currently available on shelves across the US. A news release from the company stated, “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.”
President Trump, a well-known fan of Coca-Cola, particularly Diet Coke, recently took to Truth Social to discuss the popular fizzy drink. He posted: “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.“
Trump continued, “I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them – You’ll see. It’s just better!“
In response to the president at the time, the Coca-Cola Company issued a statement to People, saying: “We appreciate President Trump’s enthusiasm for our iconic Coca-Cola brand. More details on new innovative offerings within our Coca-Cola product range will be shared soon.“
NBC News reports that Coca-Cola in the US is typically sweetened with corn syrup, while cane sugar is used in the recipe for Mexico and many European countries.
Back in April, Coca-Cola Company CEO James Quincey emphasized to investors that Coca-Cola would “continue to make progress on sugar reduction in our beverages.” He added that his company has “done this by changing recipes as well as by using our global marketing resources and distribution network to boost awareness of and interest in our ever-expanding portfolio.”
While this news will undoubtedly be welcomed by many, some industry experts have suggested that changing the formula for Coke specifically sold in the US would require drastic adjustments to its supply chains.
“Food and beverage industries started to use corn syrup in the U.S. in the past because of costs. It is cheaper than sugar,” Ron Sterk, a senior editor at SOSland Publishing (which provides information for the ingredients industry in the States), told Reuters. The publishing editor claimed the beverage industry uses a 55 percent high fructose corn syrup.
