Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Coca-Cola (KO, Financial) has agreed to use cane sugar in its U.S. beverages. Trump expressed gratitude to the company's decision-makers for this change. Coca-Cola acknowledged Trump's enthusiasm for the brand and stated that more details on new product innovations would be announced soon.
Currently, Coca-Cola offers a Mexican version of its drink containing cane sugar. However, the company has not confirmed if all U.S. beverages will switch to this formula, promising more information during its upcoming earnings report. In the U.S., Coca-Cola traditionally uses high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a cost-effective sweetener derived from corn.
The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has criticized the widespread use of HFCS in processed foods, linking it to declining health among Americans. According to the USDA, cane sugar is projected to account for about 30% of the domestic sugar supply in the 2025-2026 period, with the remainder coming from beet sugar and imports.
Following the announcement, shares of corn syrup producer Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) fell by up to 8% in after-hours trading, while Coca-Cola's stock remained stable. The Corn Refiners Association argued that replacing HFCS with cane sugar could lead to job losses in the food manufacturing sector and increased sugar imports without nutritional benefits.
