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After President Donald Trump chided Coca-Cola on social media last week over moving to cane sugar for its iconic soda—“It’s just better!”—Coca-Cola had denied the news. But, while releasing its second quarter earnings on Tuesday, the $47 billion (annual revenue) company confirmed a cane sugar line is en route and will hit stores this fall. It’s a big win for the MAHA movement, as more and more big food holdouts like Kellogg’s are relenting to demands from health-concerned consumers.

Several people have asked me if I think this new product will be better than the cult-favorite Mexican Coke, which has been made with cane sugar for years and is a rare treat for many when they find it in a U.S. restaurant. I don’t think it will be, and here’s why: I doubt Coke will launch this new product in glass, as Mexican Coke is sold. Glass simply makes a better beverage, but tariffs are driving up the price of glass. I’d bet that the American cane sugar Coke launches in plastic bottles.

But if Coca-Cola did want to go high-end with this launch, it has a pretty glaring opportunity. Coca-Cola has confirmed that the sugar cane will come from America, but has yet to say where it will be sourced. That decision is extremely important.

Before discussing Coca-Cola’s options, it’s crucial to note that sugar cane farming in America has been a nasty business, with a history among the most violent of any crop that started out completely reliant to the global slave trade. Today, there are two U.S. operations that have the capacity to supply a launch of Coca-Cola’s scale: a Cargill joint venture with growers in Louisiana called Louisiana Sugar Refining, and Florida Crystal, a........

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