Coke's sweet switch
How sugar processors can prepare for a potential cane comeback
Author: Jamie Zachary
The global food and beverage market is buzzing with the prospect that Coca‑Cola may replace high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) with cane sugar in its flagship U.S. beverages. The news was first prompted by an announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump in a social media post last week.
While the company has not formally announced plans – and, in fact, defended the safety of high-fructose corn syrup late last week – executives have also alluded to “new innovative offerings,” triggering wide-ranging speculation across their supply chains.
If the shift occurs, the ripple effects will be immense, especially for cane sugar producers. Consider this:
- Coca‑Cola produced and exported nearly three billion cases globally in 2024.
- North America, which is the company’s largest revenue-generating region, accounts for roughly 25% of overall volume, or approximately 750 million cases per year.
- This means that the company is distributing almost nine billion litres of Coca-Cola soft drinks annually in North America alone.
Moving away from corn syrup could increase cane sugar demand by hundreds of thousands of additional tonnes annually – and, in the process, redefine global sourcing and production expectations.
While Coca-Cola currently uses corn syrup in its standard U.S. recipes and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame in its Diet Coke and Coke Zero products, the brand has experience with cane sugar in international markets and specialty products. In addition to the fact that cane sugar was used as its primary sweetener until 1984, its “Mexican Coke” variant, which is commonly regarded for its nostalgic taste, continues to use cane sugar to this day. This is also the case for seasonal offerings such as Kosher-for-Passover Coke and a variety of “local tastes” products tailored for global markets.
If demand rises sharply, cane sugar producers will need to scale quickly while ensuring consistent quality.
Cooling represents one of the most important processes in sugar production — the final quality step before packaging and storage. Air-based cooling methods such as rotary drums and fluid beds are energy-intensive and can introduce inefficiencies and product degradation at scale. They are also traditionally less adaptable for rapid or modular scaling compared to other methods – largely due to their fixed size.
“As demand and global processing volumes increase, the need for precise, scalable cooling solutions becomes non-negotiable,” says Jill Caskey, Global Sales Director at Solex Thermal Science.
“We’re seeing more processors move toward technologies that offer modular growth, lower energy demands and better protection of product quality – all critical factors when responding to shifting market dynamics.”
The MBHE advantage
Plate-based moving bed heat exchangers (MBHEs) offer a proven and low-energy alternative to conventional cooling systems – particularly in applications that require rapid growth at scale.
At the heart of this solution is a vertically oriented moving bed, where sugar crystals slowly flow between a series of stacked, stainless-steel plates. A cooling fluid — usually ambient water or chilled glycol — passes through the plates, removing heat efficiently without direct contact. A mass flow discharge feeder controls the flow rate through the unit. Gravity facilitates the slow movement of the product through the heat exchanger.
This closed-loop system is ideal for processors who process bulk solids such as crystalline sugars that are hygroscopic by nature – that is, they readily absorb moisture from the surrounding air, which can lead to clumping, caking or even microbial risk if not properly handled.
Plate-based heat exchangers allow processors to more precisely control the temperature of their product while it’s being cooled without exposing it to the ambient air.
“Plate-based systems cool sugar gently and uniformly,” explains Caskey. “During normal operation, there’s no forced air, no high dust load and no risk of contamination. It’s a cleaner, quieter and more sustainable way to cool sugar at scale.”
Additional benefits of plate-based MBHEs include:
- Lower energy requirements compared to air-based systems
- Modular design that scales easily with production
- Minimal maintenance due to no moving mechanical parts
- Superior product integrity and reduced risk of dust creation, caking or clumping
Why this matters for the future of sugar production
Whether Coca-Cola’s shift is full-scale or partial, the signal to the market is “crystal” clear: Cane sugar is back in focus. Producers will need to respond quickly with agility, precision and reliability. That includes upgrading legacy infrastructure and transitioning to technology designed for today’s demands.
“Plate-based heat exchange technology gives processors the confidence to sustainably meet market demand without sacrificing quality or productivity,” says Caskey.
If you're preparing for a surge in cane sugar demand, now is the time to evaluate your thermal processing capabilities. Solex Thermal Science has helped sugar producers in more than 50 countries adapt and thrive through the adoption of proven bulk solids cooling solutions.
Explore how our sugar cooling solutions can help you sustainably meet rising demand with greater efficiency and higher product quality. Visit our Sugar Cooling page to learn more. Or Contact Us today to start a conversation with our team of experts.
This entry was tagged Cooling, and last updated on 2025-7-21