Coca-Cola confirms cane-sugar cola for US market this fall, echoing Trump’s preview

The beverage giant Coca-Cola confirmed on Tuesday it will introduce a cane-sugar version of its iconic cola to the US market later this year. The move follows a social media post by President Donald Trump last week, who claimed Coca-Cola had agreed to bring back the original sweetener in its flagship product.

“We appreciate the president’s enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand,” said Chairman and CEO James Quincey during a call with investors. “We are definitely looking to use the whole tool kit of available sweetening options.”

Since the 1980s, Coke sold in the US has been sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. However, the company has long used cane sugar in international markets and speciality products like Mexican Coke, Simply lemonade, and Honest Tea.

“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.

The cane-sugar version joins a trend led by rivals. Both PepsiCo and Dr Pepper have offered sugar-sweetened alternatives in the US since 2009.

Asked whether a prebiotic cola, like PepsiCo’s newest release, might also be on the horizon, Quincey said Coca-Cola is “currently selling a Coke with added fibre in Japan and is studying consumer response to it.”

The announcement came alongside the company’s second-quarter earnings, which beat Wall Street expectations despite a global 1% dip in case volumes. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar was a bright spot, with volume rising 14 per cent., while traditional categories like juice, dairy, and plant-based beverages fell 4 per cent.

Quincey noted regional challenges, including softer demand in India due to early monsoons and geopolitical tensions, and spending cutbacks by low-income consumers in the U.S. Still, the CEO struck an optimistic tone: “I would say overall that the global economy and the global consumer remains resilient.”

Coca-Cola reported a 58% jump in net income to $3.8 billion, with quarterly revenue rising 1% to $12.5 billion. Adjusted earnings came in at 87 cents per share, ahead of the 83 cents expected by analysts.

With the cane-sugar version of its classic cola poised to launch, Coca-Cola appears ready to blend nostalgia with consumer-conscious innovation.

“We’re expanding our portfolio to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences,” Quincey said.

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With inputs from Associated Press