Coke to get rid of HFCS?

[Ally_Kat]

Corn prices making Coke gulp
Executive says company may investigate alternative sweeteners in order to reduce costs.

March 12 2007: 1:29 PM EDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) -- Coca-Cola may investigate alternatives to high fructose corn syrup, its main sweetener in the U.S. market, because of high corn prices, a company executive said Monday.

"The price increases that we're seeing for corn and high fructose corn syrup are unlike we've seen in many a year. We're clearly feeling the pinch and it's been tough," said Scott Young, a food service division executive at the company.

Speaking at the Reuters Food Summit in Chicago, he said Coca-Cola (up $0.17 to $47.74, Charts) was starting to offer higher-yield concentrated syrups to customers to help them reduce costs.

The new syrup formulations, which Young said will start rolling out in 2007 and be adopted more widely in 2008 and 2009, would make soft drinks at a ratio of one part syrup to seven to eight parts water. Most current formulations yield one part syrup to five or 5.5 parts water, he said.

The new syrups would allow customers to order fewer bags of soft drink concentrate, which also cuts down on packaging waste and fuel required to deliver the concentrate.

Young also said he would not be surprised if Coca-Cola was looking at switching to different sweeteners. However he said he did not have enough information to say whether this could involve a move to sugar or Splenda from corn syrup.

Corn prices have recently soared as more of the crop is diverted to use in ethanol, the gasoline additive that has become more popular in the wake of higher fuel prices and increasing interest in cleaner-burning fuels.

Coke's main competitors are Cadbury Schweppes (Charts), Nestlé and PepsiCo

[FORD]

Just put the fucking cane sugar back in, and get your customer base back. What's so fucking complicated about that??

Until then, I'm sticking with Jones - unless I find that Passover Coke.

[Little Texan]

Why are these bastards so resistant to the idea of putting cane sugar in American Coke? Haven't they figured out yet why so many people are buying "black market" Mexican Coke? What a bunch of clueless idiots at Coca Cola of America! What Ford said, just put the fucking sugar back in Coke you cheap, corporate, fuckwad bastards!

[Little Texan]

Oh, and put it in glass bottles, too, instead of plastic, while you're at it. Thanks!

[BITEYOASS]

Originally posted by Little Texan
Oh, and put it in glass bottles, too, instead of plastic, while you're at it. Thanks!

You can get those at almost every gas station in Georgia and some parts of Alabama.

[glensfallspaul]

Originally posted by FORD
Just put the fucking cane sugar back in, and get your customer base back. What's so fucking complicated about that??

Until then, I'm sticking with Jones - unless I find that Passover Coke.

It amazes me how many people don't realize that the recipe for Coca-Cola changed when they brought back "Coke Classic" following the "New Coke" debacle.

There is such an amazing profit made on soft drinks that Coke would still make a bundle even if every bottle of Coke was "Passover Coke" with pure cane sugar.

[BITEYOASS]

Besides pure sugar cane, if they really want to stick to the pure formula then they would add pure cocaine to the syrup. LOL

[FORD]

Originally posted by BITEYOASS
Besides pure sugar cane, if they really want to stick to the pure formula then they would add pure cocaine to the syrup. LOL

That would definitely increase the market shares...... due to addiction.

[BITEYOASS]

Originally posted by FORD
That would definitely increase the market shares...... due to addiction.

Oh yeah I forgot about the chimp. Scrap that ideo, who know's what he'll do next once he tries the old formula.

[FORD]

Chimp gets his directly from the source. Why do you think he went to South America?

[BITEYOASS]

Originally posted by FORD
Chimp gets his directly from the source. Why do you think he went to South America?

Yeah, his daughters probably had the drug money in their purse and let it get snatched in Argentina. Then months later Bush came over and picked it up.

Anyway back to the subject of cola. Anyone ever heard of the peruvian beverage called Inca Cola. I heard it looks like piss, yet tastes like bubblegum.

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by Little Texan
Why are these bastards so resistant to the idea of putting cane sugar in American Coke?

Economics.

How much corn does the US produce compared to sugar cane?

[FORD]

Originally posted by BigBadBrian
Economics.

How much corn does the US produce compared to sugar cane?

If you follow the links in my Jones Soda thread, you'll find that it costs approximately 5% more to make soda with cane sugar than it does with HFCS.

That 5% increase in cost would easily be offset by an increase in sales, by bringing back old customers who quit drinking Coke specifically because of HFCS, whether it was the taste, or the negative effects on health that made them quit.

[Little Texan]

Originally posted by FORD
If you follow the links in my Jones Soda thread, you'll find that it costs approximately 5% more to make soda with cane sugar than it does with HFCS.

That 5% increase in cost would easily be offset by an increase in sales, by bringing back old customers who quit drinking Coke specifically because of HFCS, whether it was the taste, or the negative effects on health that made them quit.

Plus, as evidenced by the brisk sales of Mexican Coke, people are more than willing to pay a little extra to drink Coke with real sugar in it. I know I am!

[glensfallspaul]

Originally posted by FORD
If you follow the links in my Jones Soda thread, you'll find that it costs approximately 5% more to make soda with cane sugar than it does with HFCS.

That 5% increase in cost would easily be offset by an increase in sales, by bringing back old customers who quit drinking Coke specifically because of HFCS, whether it was the taste, or the negative effects on health that made them quit.

Once again, corporate bean counters screw American consumers and damage their own product.

What other places besides Mexico use pure cane sugar for Coke?

[FORD]

Originally posted by glensfallspaul
Once again, corporate bean counters screw American consumers and damage their own product.

What other places besides Mexico use pure cane sugar for Coke?

Pretty much the rest of the planet outside of North America, as far as I know.

Canada even seems to be a mixed bag. Some parts of the country claim sugar, others HFCS.