Coca-Cola has announced plans to introduce a U.S. version of its flagship beverage sweetened with domestically grown cane sugar, following public calls from President Donald Trump.
“We’re going to be bringing a Coke sweetened with U.S. cane sugar into the market this fall, and I think that will be an enduring option for consumers,” CEO James Quincey said during an earnings call on Tuesday.
The beverage giant currently uses high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) for most of its U.S. products. However, HFCS has long faced criticism, including from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has advocated for healthier food policies under his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
President Trump, who disclosed the development last week on his social media platform, Truth Social, praised the move: “This will be a very good move by them — You’ll see. It’s just better!”
At the time, Coca-Cola stopped short of confirming the change, only acknowledging the president’s “enthusiasm” for the brand. With Tuesday’s announcement, the company confirmed that the cane sugar version will be offered alongside its existing corn syrup-based formula, not as a replacement.
Mexican Coke, which uses cane sugar, enjoys strong demand in the U.S., often commanding a premium due to its perceived more “natural” taste.
Trump did not elaborate on his reasons for pushing for the shift, which will not affect his widely known preference for Diet Coke — a drink sweetened with aspartame, a substance classified by the World Health Organization as a possible carcinogen.
The announcement comes amid ongoing debates over the health implications of different sweeteners. Although both HFCS and cane sugar are composed of glucose and fructose, research suggests their health impacts are largely similar.
The move could stir political and economic tensions in the Corn Belt, a key Trump stronghold, where corn subsidies and tariffs on sugar imports have historically supported HFCS dominance in the U.S. market.
