U.S. News

Trump Claims Coca-Cola Will Use Cane Sugar in U.S., but Company Offers Vague Response

By Jake Beardslee · July 17, 2025

In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump announced that Coca-Cola has agreed to begin using cane sugar in its U.S. beverages, replacing high-fructose corn syrup. “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 wrote, adding, “I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola.”

Coca-Cola responded without confirming a complete shift in sweeteners, 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.”

While the company already sells a cane sugar version known as “Mexican Coke,” it declined to specify whether all U.S. offerings will be reformulated. A spokesperson said more information will be available when earnings are reported on July 22, according to Bloomberg. Currently, Coca-Cola’s U.S. formula relies on high-fructose corn syrup, a common sweetener in American processed foods due to its cost-effectiveness and long shelf life.

The announcement had an immediate market impact. Shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., a leading producer of corn syrup, dropped as much as 5.1% in premarket trading on Thursday. Coca-Cola’s stock remained relatively unchanged.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an outspoken critic of ultra-processed foods, has warned that “high-fructose corn syrup is everywhere,” linking its widespread use to poor health outcomes among Americans.

Industry groups pushed back. Corn Refiners Association President John Bode criticized the move, saying it “would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit.”

Despite Trump’s long-standing preference for Diet Coke, which contains aspartame, the symbolic shift in sweetener aligns with growing public scrutiny over processed food ingredients. Earlier this year, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey gifted Trump a personalized bottle of Diet Coke during his inauguration celebration.

U.S. cane sugar production is projected to meet only about 30% of national sugar demand in the 2025–26 season, with the rest supplied by sugar beets and imports, according to the USDA.