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Donald Trump mentioned Coca-Cola had agreed to sweeten its signature tender drink with cane sugar within the US, in what may signify a serious shift from its decades-long use of excessive fructose corn syrup.
In a social media put up on Wednesday, the US president mentioned he had been chatting with Coca-Cola about “utilizing REAL Cane Sugar in Coke within the US, and so they have agreed to take action”. He hailed it as a “good transfer” by the Atlanta-based firm, including: “You’ll see. It’s simply higher.”
Trump’s surprising announcement inserted the White Home right into a long-running debate in regards to the healthfulness of several types of sugar — and has the potential to please or alienate farmers in areas of the nation the place he has robust assist.
Neither Trump nor Coca-Cola addressed questions in regards to the shift late on Wednesday, together with how Coca-Cola would supply the untold volumes of cane sugar it could want or whether or not any cane-based cola would change or complement present drink components.
Coca-Cola mentioned: “We recognize President Trump’s enthusiasm for our iconic Coca-Cola model. Extra particulars on new modern choices inside our Coca-Cola product vary shall be shared quickly.”
US-produced Coca-Cola makes use of excessive fructose corn syrup, a extremely processed sweetener whose results on well being as compared with different types of added sugars has lengthy been a supply of controversy.
HFCS is derived from corn, whose base of manufacturing is in Midwestern farm states resembling Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska in rural counties that largely voted for Trump within the 2024 presidential election.
US sugarcane is principally grown within the heat Gulf Coast states of Florida and Louisiana, whereas further cane sugar is imported underneath a tariff quota system.
Shares of Archer Daniels Midland and Ingredion, two of the most important publicly traded corn processors, respectively plunged 6.3 per cent and eight.9 per cent in after-hours buying and selling on Wednesday. Coke shares have been unchanged.
John Bode, chief govt of the Corn Refiners Affiliation, mentioned: “Changing excessive fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would price hundreds of American meals manufacturing jobs, depress farm earnings and increase imports of overseas sugar, all with no dietary profit.”
Coke’s bottlers used cane sugar in US manufacturing till the Eighties and proceed to make use of it in most overseas manufacturing together with in Mexico, which has resulted in so-called Mexican Coke being favoured by some US shoppers. Its particular Kosher for Passover variation, recognized for its yellow tops, can be coveted by some shoppers as a result of it too makes use of sugar reasonably than corn syrup.
Trump’s announcement comes as his well being secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr pursues a broader crackdown on extremely processed meals. Earlier this week, the White Home introduced dozens of ice cream corporations, representing greater than 90 per cent of the ice cream quantity offered within the US, had pledged to cease utilizing licensed synthetic colors of their frozen dairy merchandise.
Whereas Kennedy has attacked HFCS he has additionally taken an aggressive line in opposition to sugar typically. At an occasion earlier this yr he declared “sugar is poison”, not qualifying whether or not it got here from corn, cane or one other crop.
