Something big is stirring in the world of soda, and it all started with a bold statement from President Donald Trump. On July 16, 2025, he posted on Truth Social that he convinced Coca-Cola to switch from high-fructose corn syrup to real cane sugar in its U.

Coca-Cola Co. will launch a new product made with US cane sugar this fall, which may increase demand for a type of sugar US farmers can’t fully supply.

A blind taste-test Wednesday at the Navy Pier offices of the Sun-Times and WBEZ showed more people prefer the original Coca-Cola over the Mexican variety, sold in glass bottles.