Trump's Coca-Cola push could revive iconic southern industry
The move will shift Cokes away from high-fructose corn syrup and back to natural sugar, elating Louisiana growers whose produce is set to become a hot commodity. Ross Noel, a fourth-generation sugarcane farmer in Donaldsonville, LA, told KLFY that the new soda recipe will benefit far more than just the farmers growing the sugar cane.
The deal from Trump to introduce cane sugar back into Coke is part of a wider push from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to bring back natural ingredients to everyday foods. In Louisiana, farmers say that the natural ingredients trend could be a game changer for its crop-growing industry. 'There's something special about growing a crop that's real, simple, and trusted—and that is something to be proud of,' Noel told KLFY .
This trend also previously saw Steak 'n Shake announce in February that it would switch from vegetable oil to beef tallow in its French fries recipe. The move to beef tallow isn't just a coincidence, as the chain actually mentioned RFK Jr. and his 'Make America Health Again' (MAHA) movement in an announcement about the change. Steak 'n Shake wrote on X, 'By March 1 ALL locations. Fries will be RFK'd!'
Although Trump lauded his deal with Coca-Cola as a huge win for the MAHA movement, industry chiefs warned that consumers may end up paying more as a result . Experts warned that removing sweeteners from the drink in favor of real sugar could cost thousands of American jobs in manufacturing, and the idea has already caused chaos on the stock market. Corn Refiners Association CEO John Bode released a statement on Thursday warning that the recipe change could trigger economic mayhem and political turmoil.
'Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit,' Bode said. Coca-Cola bosses said last week that they are adding a cane sugar option to their drink lineup , but did not say that they were removing their high-fructose corn syrup options.
'As part of its ongoing innovation agenda, this fall in the United States, the company plans to launch an offering made with U.S. cane sugar to expand its Trademark Coca-Cola product range,' the soda giant said. 'This addition is designed to complement the company's strong core portfolio and offer more choices across occasions and preferences.'
Trump's announcement has already prompted shockwaves in the stock market, costing investors billions of dollars. Shares in Archer Daniels Midland, a leading corn processor, plunged almost six percent in pre-market trading following Trump's announcement. This reflects a potential hit to investors of around $1.5 billion.
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