The James Hardie and Azek merger makes no strategic sense
The best companies – the good to great ones – almost always focus on one industry, or one niche product group within an industry, and are relentless in developing and protecting their competitive advantage. They focus on one space and own it. From the Coca-Cola Company to Cochlear it is sticking to your knitting and staying within your core area of competence that is the hallmark of most great and enduring companies, the companies that deliver excellent long-term compounding returns for shareholders.
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AU Financial Review
3 days ago
- AU Financial Review
Coca-cola gets roped into making America healthy again
It was a social media moment that every US company dreads. Last week, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Coca-Cola had agreed to change the domestic formula of its namesake drink to feature 'REAL Cane Sugar' rather than high-fructose corn syrup. The company patently was not ready. Though it thanked the president for his 'enthusiasm', it also defended HFCS on social media as 'just a sweetener made from corn'. Six days later it finally confirmed it would launch a US cane sugar cola later in the year.
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- The Advertiser
Coca-Cola confirms cane sugar version coming to the US
Coca-Cola says it will add a cane sugar version of its trademark cola to its US line-up this year, confirming a recent announcement by US President Donald Trump. Trump said in a social media post last week that Coca-Cola had agreed to use real cane sugar in its flagship product in the US instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Coke did not immediately confirm the change but promised new offerings soon. On Tuesday, Coca-Cola chairman and CEO James Quincey said Coke will expand its product range "to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences". "We appreciate the president's enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand," Quincey said in a conference call with investors on Tuesday. "We are definitely looking to use the whole tool kit of available sweetening options." Quincey noted that Coke uses cane sugar in some other US drinks, like its Simply brand lemonade and Honest Tea. In the US, Mexican Coca-Cola with cane sugar is already available at a higher price. Unlike in other countries, Coca-Cola drinks containing sugar have been sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup in US production since the 1980s. The syrup is cheaper, sweeter and has a longer shelf life than other types of sugar. It has been criticised as unhealthy primarily by Trump's Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Trump himself is known to drink sugar-free Diet Coke, which contains sweeteners. Nevertheless, he wrote last week that everyone would soon realise that Coca-Cola with cane sugar was "just better". "We're always looking for opportunities to innovate and see whether there's an intersection of new ideas and where consumer preferences are evolving," Quincey said. "It's a good sign that the industry, including ourselves, are trying lots of different things." Rivals PepsiCo and Dr Pepper have been selling versions of their trademark colas sweetened with cane sugar in the US since 2009. Asked if Coke would also consider introducing a prebiotic version of its cola - as PepsiCo did this week - Quincey said the company is currently selling a Coke with added fibre in Japan and is studying consumer response to it. Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter as higher prices offset weaker sales volumes. Case volumes fell 1 per cent globally and 1 per cent in North America but Coke said on Tuesday that pricing rose 6 per cent for the April-June period. One bright spot was Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which registered a growth in volume of 14 per cent. Traditional Coca-Cola still far outsells the zero-sugar variety but consumer demand for zero-sugar versions is growing much more quickly. Global case volumes of juice, dairy and plant-based beverages fell 4 per cent, Coke said. Sports drink case volumes were down 3 per cent as higher demand in North America was offset by declines in Latin America. with DPA Coca-Cola says it will add a cane sugar version of its trademark cola to its US line-up this year, confirming a recent announcement by US President Donald Trump. Trump said in a social media post last week that Coca-Cola had agreed to use real cane sugar in its flagship product in the US instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Coke did not immediately confirm the change but promised new offerings soon. On Tuesday, Coca-Cola chairman and CEO James Quincey said Coke will expand its product range "to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences". "We appreciate the president's enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand," Quincey said in a conference call with investors on Tuesday. "We are definitely looking to use the whole tool kit of available sweetening options." Quincey noted that Coke uses cane sugar in some other US drinks, like its Simply brand lemonade and Honest Tea. In the US, Mexican Coca-Cola with cane sugar is already available at a higher price. Unlike in other countries, Coca-Cola drinks containing sugar have been sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup in US production since the 1980s. The syrup is cheaper, sweeter and has a longer shelf life than other types of sugar. It has been criticised as unhealthy primarily by Trump's Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Trump himself is known to drink sugar-free Diet Coke, which contains sweeteners. Nevertheless, he wrote last week that everyone would soon realise that Coca-Cola with cane sugar was "just better". "We're always looking for opportunities to innovate and see whether there's an intersection of new ideas and where consumer preferences are evolving," Quincey said. "It's a good sign that the industry, including ourselves, are trying lots of different things." Rivals PepsiCo and Dr Pepper have been selling versions of their trademark colas sweetened with cane sugar in the US since 2009. Asked if Coke would also consider introducing a prebiotic version of its cola - as PepsiCo did this week - Quincey said the company is currently selling a Coke with added fibre in Japan and is studying consumer response to it. Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter as higher prices offset weaker sales volumes. Case volumes fell 1 per cent globally and 1 per cent in North America but Coke said on Tuesday that pricing rose 6 per cent for the April-June period. One bright spot was Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which registered a growth in volume of 14 per cent. Traditional Coca-Cola still far outsells the zero-sugar variety but consumer demand for zero-sugar versions is growing much more quickly. Global case volumes of juice, dairy and plant-based beverages fell 4 per cent, Coke said. Sports drink case volumes were down 3 per cent as higher demand in North America was offset by declines in Latin America. with DPA Coca-Cola says it will add a cane sugar version of its trademark cola to its US line-up this year, confirming a recent announcement by US President Donald Trump. Trump said in a social media post last week that Coca-Cola had agreed to use real cane sugar in its flagship product in the US instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Coke did not immediately confirm the change but promised new offerings soon. On Tuesday, Coca-Cola chairman and CEO James Quincey said Coke will expand its product range "to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences". "We appreciate the president's enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand," Quincey said in a conference call with investors on Tuesday. "We are definitely looking to use the whole tool kit of available sweetening options." Quincey noted that Coke uses cane sugar in some other US drinks, like its Simply brand lemonade and Honest Tea. In the US, Mexican Coca-Cola with cane sugar is already available at a higher price. Unlike in other countries, Coca-Cola drinks containing sugar have been sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup in US production since the 1980s. The syrup is cheaper, sweeter and has a longer shelf life than other types of sugar. It has been criticised as unhealthy primarily by Trump's Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Trump himself is known to drink sugar-free Diet Coke, which contains sweeteners. Nevertheless, he wrote last week that everyone would soon realise that Coca-Cola with cane sugar was "just better". "We're always looking for opportunities to innovate and see whether there's an intersection of new ideas and where consumer preferences are evolving," Quincey said. "It's a good sign that the industry, including ourselves, are trying lots of different things." Rivals PepsiCo and Dr Pepper have been selling versions of their trademark colas sweetened with cane sugar in the US since 2009. Asked if Coke would also consider introducing a prebiotic version of its cola - as PepsiCo did this week - Quincey said the company is currently selling a Coke with added fibre in Japan and is studying consumer response to it. Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter as higher prices offset weaker sales volumes. Case volumes fell 1 per cent globally and 1 per cent in North America but Coke said on Tuesday that pricing rose 6 per cent for the April-June period. One bright spot was Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which registered a growth in volume of 14 per cent. Traditional Coca-Cola still far outsells the zero-sugar variety but consumer demand for zero-sugar versions is growing much more quickly. Global case volumes of juice, dairy and plant-based beverages fell 4 per cent, Coke said. Sports drink case volumes were down 3 per cent as higher demand in North America was offset by declines in Latin America. with DPA Coca-Cola says it will add a cane sugar version of its trademark cola to its US line-up this year, confirming a recent announcement by US President Donald Trump. Trump said in a social media post last week that Coca-Cola had agreed to use real cane sugar in its flagship product in the US instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Coke did not immediately confirm the change but promised new offerings soon. On Tuesday, Coca-Cola chairman and CEO James Quincey said Coke will expand its product range "to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences". "We appreciate the president's enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand," Quincey said in a conference call with investors on Tuesday. "We are definitely looking to use the whole tool kit of available sweetening options." Quincey noted that Coke uses cane sugar in some other US drinks, like its Simply brand lemonade and Honest Tea. In the US, Mexican Coca-Cola with cane sugar is already available at a higher price. Unlike in other countries, Coca-Cola drinks containing sugar have been sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup in US production since the 1980s. The syrup is cheaper, sweeter and has a longer shelf life than other types of sugar. It has been criticised as unhealthy primarily by Trump's Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Trump himself is known to drink sugar-free Diet Coke, which contains sweeteners. Nevertheless, he wrote last week that everyone would soon realise that Coca-Cola with cane sugar was "just better". "We're always looking for opportunities to innovate and see whether there's an intersection of new ideas and where consumer preferences are evolving," Quincey said. "It's a good sign that the industry, including ourselves, are trying lots of different things." Rivals PepsiCo and Dr Pepper have been selling versions of their trademark colas sweetened with cane sugar in the US since 2009. Asked if Coke would also consider introducing a prebiotic version of its cola - as PepsiCo did this week - Quincey said the company is currently selling a Coke with added fibre in Japan and is studying consumer response to it. Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter as higher prices offset weaker sales volumes. Case volumes fell 1 per cent globally and 1 per cent in North America but Coke said on Tuesday that pricing rose 6 per cent for the April-June period. One bright spot was Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which registered a growth in volume of 14 per cent. Traditional Coca-Cola still far outsells the zero-sugar variety but consumer demand for zero-sugar versions is growing much more quickly. Global case volumes of juice, dairy and plant-based beverages fell 4 per cent, Coke said. Sports drink case volumes were down 3 per cent as higher demand in North America was offset by declines in Latin America. with DPA
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Coca-Cola confirms cane sugar version coming to the US
Coca-Cola says it will add a cane sugar version of its trademark cola to its US line-up this year, confirming a recent announcement by US President Donald Trump. Trump said in a social media post last week that Coca-Cola had agreed to use real cane sugar in its flagship product in the US instead of high-fructose corn syrup. Coke did not immediately confirm the change but promised new offerings soon. On Tuesday, Coca-Cola chairman and CEO James Quincey said Coke will expand its product range "to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences". Coke currently sells Mexican Coke, which is made with cane sugar, in the US. "We appreciate the president's enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand," Quincey said in a conference call with investors on Tuesday. "This addition is designed to complement our strong core portfolio and offer more choice across occasions and preferences." Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter as higher prices offset weaker sales volumes. Case volumes fell 1 per cent globally and 1 per cent in North America but Coke said on Tuesday that pricing rose 6 per cent for the April-June period. One bright spot was Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which registered a growth in volume of 14 per cent. Traditional Coca-Cola still far outsells the zero-sugar variety but consumer demand for zero-sugar versions is growing much more quickly. Global case volumes of juice, dairy and plant-based beverages fell 4 per cent, Coke said. Sports drink case volumes were down 3 per cent as higher demand in North America was offset by declines in Latin America.
