Coca-Cola has started selling a new version of its classic soda made with U.S. cane sugar; a move that follows months of public pressure from President Donald Trump, who urged the company to ditch high-fructose corn syrup earlier this year.
The Atlanta-based company confirmed the rollout in “select U.S. markets,” offering 12-ounce glass bottles of Coke made with domestic cane sugar.
“This launch reflects our ongoing commitment to giving people more ways to enjoy the beverages they love,” Coca-Cola said in a statement.
Chief Financial Officer John Murphy told Bloomberg that supply limits are slowing the rollout. “There’s only so much cane sugar available in the United States,” he said, describing it as a “measured” launch.
Trump first claimed victory in July, writing on Truth Social: “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… It’s just better!”
At the time, the company stayed silent, only confirming the new drink weeks later. Coca-Cola’s CEO James Quincey has since described the move as a way to expand its range, not replace the high-fructose corn syrup in its flagship formula.
The company already uses cane sugar in international markets like Mexico, and in the U.S., for some non-Coke beverages.
Health experts, however, warn that the swap is more nostalgic than nutritional. “Both cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are added sugars,” said Dr. Wesley McWhorter of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“There’s no evidence one is safer or healthier than the other.”
Both sweeteners, when consumed excessively, are linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease — meaning the “real sugar” label may be more about marketing than health.
