17-07-2025
Coca-Cola agrees to request from Donald Trump for company to make major recipe change in US
Beverage company giant Coca-Cola has agreed to change the recipe of its flagship product at the request of Donald Trump, according to the United Sates President.
Trump announced on social media that he had been in talks with the Atlanta-based company about using 'REAL' cane sugar in the drink for US customers.
'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 posted on his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday morning AEST.
'I'd like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them - You'll see. It's just better!"
A Coca-Cola has released a statement saying the company 'appreciates President Trump's enthusiasm' for their world-famous brand.
'More details on new innovative offerings within our Coca-Cola product range will be shared soon,' the statement said.
Trump's Truth Social post was shared by the White House and official US President Instagram accounts alongside a picture that said, 'Share a Coke with Trump' with Trump's name displayed on a Coke bottle.
Coca-Cola is usually sweetened using corn syrup for the US market, and the company already uses cane sugar in its beverages in other countries, including Australia.
A Coca-Cola Australia spokesperson confirmed to the company uses '100 per cent locally sourced' cane sugar in its products sold throughout the country.
The Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative has pushed for food companies to change their formulations and removed ingredients such as artificial dyes.
US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has criticised the amount of sugar consumed by Americans.
The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans is set to soon be updated, and Mr Kennedy has said the revised guidelines will advise the public to consume 'whole food'.
A MAHA Commission report in May said a substantial consumption of high-fructose corn syrup could play a role in childhood obesity and other conditions.
Following Trump's Coca-Cola announcement, Corn Refiners Association president and chief executive John Bode released a statement saying the move would cost 'thousands' of jobs in American food manufacturing.
'Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar doesn't make sense,' he said.
'President Trump stands for American manufacturing jobs, American farmers, and reducing the trade deficit. 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.'
With Reuters
