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Japan Today
6 days ago
- Business
- Japan Today
Coca-Cola confirms a cane-sugar version of its trademark cola is coming to the US
Bottles of Mexican Coca-Cola are displayed at a grocery store in Mount Prospect, Ill., Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) By DEE-ANN DURBIN Coca-Cola said Tuesday it will add a cane-sugar version of its trademark cola to its U.S. lineup this fall, confirming a recent announcement by 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 U.S., which has been sweetened with high fructose corn syrup since the 1980s. Coke didn't 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 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 U.S. drinks, like its Simply brand lemonade and Honest Tea. Coke has also sold Mexican Coke, which is made with cane sugar, in the U.S. since 2005. '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 U.S. since 2009. Asked if Coke would also consider introducing a prebiotic version of its trademark cola — as PepsiCo did this week — Quincey said the company is currently selling a Coke with added fiber in Japan and is studying consumer response to it. Quincey said consumer demand for its products improved in the second quarter in many markets, including China, Europe, Africa and North America. 'I would I would say overall that the global economy and the global consumer remains resilient,' Quincey said. But early monsoons and conflict hurt demand in India, and Quincey said demand in Thailand and Indonesia was also weaker than expected. Quincey also said lower-income consumers in the U.S. and elsewhere have also pulled back on spending. Global case volumes of Coca-Cola fell 1%. Juice, dairy and plant-based beverages fell 4%, Coke said. Sports drink case volumes were down 3%, as higher demand in North America was offset by declines in Latin America. One bright spot was Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which saw case volumes grow 14%. Traditional Coca-Cola still far outsells the zero-sugar variety, but consumer demand for zero-sugar versions is growing much more quickly. In North America, case volumes fell 1%, but that was an improvement from the first quarter, when they were down 3%. Quincey said Hispanic sales in the U.S. returned to normal levels by the end of June. They had plummeted starting in February, when a social media video began circulating that claimed Coke was reporting its own workers to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Quincey said the claim was false. The company has been trying to win back Hispanic consumers with targeted deals and ads touting the company's local economic impact. 'It was still a headwind in the second quarter but the issue is now largely resolved,' Quincey said Tuesday. Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter as higher prices offset the weaker volumes. Coke said pricing rose 6% globally. Revenue for the Atlanta company rose 1% to $12.5 billion. Adjusted for one-time items, quarterly revenue was $12.6 billion. That was in line with Wall Street's forecast, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Net income jumped 58% to $3.8 billion. Coke's adjusted net income was 87 cents, which was higher than the 83 cents Wall Street forecast. Coke said it now expects full-year adjusted earnings to grow 8%. At the start of the year, Coke had expected earnings to grow 8% to 10%, but in April it lowered that range to 7% to 9%. Coke earned $2.88 per share in 2024. Shares of Coca-Cola Co. were down 1% in early trading Tuesday. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 days ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Coca-Cola Confirms a Cane-Sugar Version of Its Trademark Cola Is Coming to the US
Coca-Cola said Tuesday it will add a cane-sugar version of its trademark cola to its U.S. lineup this fall, confirming a recent announcement by 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 U.S., which has been sweetened with high fructose corn syrup since the 1980s. Coke didn't 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 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 U.S. drinks, like its Simply brand lemonade and Honest Tea. Coke has also sold Mexican Coke, which is made with cane sugar, in the U.S. since 2005. '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 U.S. since 2009. Asked if Coke would also consider introducing a prebiotic version of its trademark cola — as PepsiCo did this week — Quincey said the company is currently selling a Coke with added fiber in Japan and is studying consumer response to it. Quincey said consumer demand for its products improved in the second quarter in many markets, including China, Europe, Africa and North America. 'I would I would say overall that the global economy and the global consumer remains resilient,' Quincey said. But early monsoons and conflict hurt demand in India, and Quincey said demand in Thailand and Indonesia was also weaker than expected. Quincey also said lower-income consumers in the U.S. and elsewhere have also pulled back on spending. Global case volumes of Coca-Cola fell 1%. Juice, dairy and plant-based beverages fell 4%, Coke said. Sports drink case volumes were down 3%, as higher demand in North America was offset by declines in Latin America. One bright spot was Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which saw case volumes grow 14%. Traditional Coca-Cola still far outsells the zero-sugar variety, but consumer demand for zero-sugar versions is growing much more quickly. In North America, case volumes fell 1%, but that was an improvement from the first quarter, when they were down 3%. Quincey said Hispanic sales in the U.S. returned to normal levels by the end of June. They had plummeted starting in February, when a social media video began circulating that claimed Coke was reporting its own workers to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Quincey said the claim was false. The company has been trying to win back Hispanic consumers with targeted deals and ads touting the company's local economic impact. 'It was still a headwind in the second quarter but the issue is now largely resolved,' Quincey said Tuesday. Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter as higher prices offset the weaker volumes. Coke said pricing rose 6% globally. Revenue for the Atlanta company rose 1% to $12.5 billion. Adjusted for one-time items, quarterly revenue was $12.6 billion. That was in line with Wall Street's forecast, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Net income jumped 58% to $3.8 billion. Coke's adjusted net income was 87 cents, which was higher than the 83 cents Wall Street forecast. Coke said it now expects full-year adjusted earnings to grow 8%. At the start of the year, Coke had expected earnings to grow 8% to 10%, but in April it lowered that range to 7% to 9%. Coke earned $2.88 per share in 2024. Shares of Coca-Cola Co. were down 1% in early trading Tuesday.
India Today
6 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Coca-Cola confirms cane-sugar cola for US market after Trump's announcement
The beverage giant Coca-Cola confirmed on Tuesday it will introduce a cane-sugar version of its iconic cola to the US market later this year. The move follows a social media post by President Donald Trump last week, who claimed Coca-Cola had agreed to bring back the original sweetener in its flagship product.'We appreciate the president's enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand,' said Chairman and CEO James Quincey during a call with investors. 'We are definitely looking to use the whole tool kit of available sweetening options.'advertisementSince the 1980s, Coke sold in the US has been sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. However, the company has long used cane sugar in international markets and speciality products like Mexican Coke, Simply lemonade, and Honest Tea. '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 cane-sugar version joins a trend led by rivals. Both PepsiCo and Dr Pepper have offered sugar-sweetened alternatives in the US since whether a prebiotic cola, like PepsiCo's newest release, might also be on the horizon, Quincey said Coca-Cola is 'currently selling a Coke with added fibre in Japan and is studying consumer response to it.'The announcement came alongside the company's second-quarter earnings, which beat Wall Street expectations despite a global 1% dip in case volumes. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar was a bright spot, with volume rising 14 per cent., while traditional categories like juice, dairy, and plant-based beverages fell 4 per noted regional challenges, including softer demand in India due to early monsoons and geopolitical tensions, and spending cutbacks by low-income consumers in the U.S. Still, the CEO struck an optimistic tone: 'I would say overall that the global economy and the global consumer remains resilient.'Coca-Cola reported a 58% jump in net income to $3.8 billion, with quarterly revenue rising 1% to $12.5 billion. Adjusted earnings came in at 87 cents per share, ahead of the 83 cents expected by the cane-sugar version of its classic cola poised to launch, Coca-Cola appears ready to blend nostalgia with consumer-conscious innovation.'We're expanding our portfolio to reflect consumer interest in differentiated experiences,' Quincey said.- EndsWith inputs from Associated Press
The Advertiser
7 days ago
- Business
- 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
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Coca-Cola created its own rival in popular drink space
Business Coca-Cola created its own rival in popular drink space In many industries, rivals face neck-and-neck competition with one another. But there's a special edge to those vying for customer attention in the beverage space. Much like food, beverage requires an elegant balancing act: make something new, but also familiar. Make it eye-catching, but not too much so. Make it healthy, but not so much that it's unpleasant to drink. Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter Starbucks is quite good at this game, drumming up a $94 billion market cap that some might say was built on the back of the mighty Pumpkin Spice Latte. But of course, there's a king among all the others, and it's Coca-Cola. Originally founded in 1886 in Atlanta, Dr. John Pemberton served the world's first Coca‑Cola at Jacobs' Pharmacy, and a legend was born. Today, 1.9 billion people drink a Coke product each day all around the world. A visit to the Coca-Cola Museum (located in Atlanta, naturally) will show you just how rich the history of the brand is - not to mention how many drinks it's created. One of the museum's most fun features is a room at the end where you can try Coca-Cola products from different countries. While not all of them have the zing of a freshly opened Coke, it's fascinating to see what a powerful impact Coke and its products have had across the world. But no huge business is immune from making mistakes. And a move Coke made in 2022 may have accidentally launched a rival. Seth Goldman, Co-Founder of Honest Tea, before the product was rebranded as Just Ice Tea. Image source: Ottesen/Washington Post via Getty Images The remarkable story of Just Ice Tea Those of us who grew up in the South and cannot bear a summer day without a cup of iced tea may have been fans of Honest Tea, as it was originally called when it was launched in 1998 by then-Yale student Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff, his professor. More Restaurants The idea was to create an organic tea that was not cloyingly sweet, and Goldman and Nalebuff succeeded. So much so, in fact, that the company caught the eye of Coca-Cola, which first bought 40% of Honest Tea in 2008 for $43 million, then purchased the company outright in 2011. In 2022, however, Goldman was taken aback when Coke decided to discontinue Honest Tea. In an interview with New Hope, and despite what was surely a great disappointment, Goldman said at the time that he had no regrets. "We built Honest Tea with intention, and so the intention is still there," he also said. "As long as Coke was producing it, it was still manifesting itself out in the world. Once that stopped, we need to make sure that it continues to do so." Clearly Goldman's intention was a powerful one. The company rebranded the product, becoming Just Ice Tea instead. And now, three years after Coke discontinued the product, it's become the ninth best-selling tea in the U.S. grocery channel - actually beating Coke's Peace Tea brand, per NIQ data. "This shows we were right to believe in [this], and I think the folks at Coca-Cola just missed the opportunity and weren't able to capitalize on it the right way," Goldman said in an interview with Fooddive. Just Ice Tea sales came in at $16 million in 2023, which was its first full year on the market. For 2025, the news is even better: the company is forecast to top $30 million this year. Also, new partnerships have been struck to put the brand in Target, CVS, and selected Walmarts, significantly broadening its reach while making those of us who love a lightly sweet tea very, very happy. Related: McDonald's launches a bold new restaurant concept The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 2:33 PM.
