Shares of high fructose syrup producer ADM fall after Trump says Coca-Cola agrees to use real cane sugar
π ADM shares fell nearly 1% and dropped as much as 6% in premarket trading after President Trump announced Coca-Cola's agreement to use real cane sugar.
π£οΈ President Trump stated on Truth Social that he persuaded Coca-Cola to switch, praising the move as better for consumers and American manufacturing.
π₯€ Coca-Cola issued a statement appreciating the president's enthusiasm but declined to confirm specific details, promising new information soon.
π Competitor PepsiCo shares rose alongside Coca-Cola, with CEO Ramon Laguarta noting that 60% of its U.S. beverages already use sugar or no sugar.
β οΈ The Corn Refiners Association warned that replacing corn syrup with cane sugar could cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs and depress farm income.
πΎ ADM stock had risen about 12% over the last three months before this negative news event impacted its price.
π Raw sugar futures increased in value following the announcement of the potential industry-wide shift to cane sugar.
ποΈ Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously urged executives to remove 'worst ingredients' from food products.
π° PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta suggested a conversation with the government is needed to make U.S. sugar more affordable for industry transition.
π The news occurred on Thursday, July 17, 2025, following a Truth Social post published Wednesday by President Trump.
- Coca-Cola shares rose almost 2% on the day, extending its year-to-date gain to over 13%.
- Raw sugar futures popped immediately after the announcement of the potential switch to cane sugar.
- PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta indicated that a significant portion of their U.S. beverage portfolio (60%) already avoids corn syrup, suggesting industry adaptation is underway.
- ADM shares fell nearly 1% and dropped as much as 6% in premarket trading following the announcement.
- The Corn Refiners Association explicitly warned that replacing high-fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs.
- The association stated the switch would depress farm income and boost imports of foreign sugar, negatively impacting domestic agriculture.
- PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta noted that sugar is more expensive in the U.S. than globally, implying potential margin pressure or higher consumer costs for the transition.