() President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Coca-Cola will be changing its recipe.
“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 wrote on Truth Social. “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!”
It’s been 41 years since U.S. Coke switched from sugar to cheaper high-fructose corn syrup, resulting from the Ronald Reagan-era sugar import quotas that caused domestic sugar prices to spike.
“The government intervened during the Reagan administration and signed a law that placed high tariffs and quotas on imported cane sugar,” Ben Michael, attorney at Michael & Associates, told Reader’s Digest. “And U.S. trade policies still limit sugar imports to this day.
“These tariffs made sugar in the U.S. cost more than in many other countries. However, there are no tariffs on HFCS made from good ol’ American corn so it avoids these extra fees, saving Coca-Cola money.”
Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey presented Trump with a custom Diet Coke bottle for his inauguration. The tradition has taken place since 2005, where commemorative bottles mark presidential transitions. However, it faced backlash for the bottle, with the media saying the company was grovelling for Trump.
Many believe that cane sugar has more positive health benefits, but nutrition scientists argue that HFCS and sugar are chemically similar.
The beverage chain has yet to confirm the change.
