Mexican Coke: Taste the Sugar Cane

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The illicitly purchased coke in question

A friend recently purchased an illicit bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola in these very United States.  Since distributing Mexican versions of soft drinks in the US can bring about severe litigation, I should not like to take chances with his liberty (link).  Thus, in order to protect his identity, he shall be named only by the initials DK .  In any case, we had a candid conversation evaluating Mexican Coke’s taste and value.

The most noticeable difference about Mexican Coke is not the taste, but its presentation–the Mexican Coke came in a 6oz glass bottle instead of a 12oz can.  12oz bottles are not unheard of either.  The bottle may be a change from the contemporary American norm, but the labeling is quite familiar.  The nutrition label is as we regularly see it on American products, only values were in both Spanish and English.   Being in both languages, one would think it wasn’t strictly for distribution in Mexico.  DK admits that he feels rather like a rebel for purchasing the Coke from an unauthorized distributor.  Apparently, there is a growing underground of these rebels (link).

Still, the pertinent question remained: How much different does Mexican produced and bottled Coca-Cola taste from our regular high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) Coke? DK says, “It tastes about the same to me, quite honestly.  The difference is texture.  It doesn’t stick to your mouth the same way.”  Adding, “You don’t have that ‘I just drank a coke’ feeling afterwards. I think it’s a good thing.”  I had to concur–that gummed up, sugared mouth feeling afterward is awful.  Though I try to stay away from soda, this taste conundrum begs for a blind taste test.  In other words, we need science! An article on the subject at eluniversal.com relays an interview with real-life scientist, Richard Adamson.  He gives the low-down on the evolution of HFCS in coke:

The soft drink industry switched from sugar to a 50/50 blend with high-fructose corn syrup in the early 1980s, then shifted gradually to just the corn sweetener, said Richard Adamson, the American Beverage Institute’s vice president of scientific and technical affairs.

“It’s sweeter, and it has more flavor,” said Julia Hoffman, 12, who along with her mother Marie preferred Mexican Coke over Yankee Coke during a blind tasting at Ernesto’s Taqueria, which, like the Fiesta Mart supermarket across Eighth Avenue in Fort Worth, Texas, sells both kinds.

Adamson, who has a doctorate degree in pharmacology, said the syrup is preferred because it doesn’t crystallize like sugar, blends easily with the acid in cola and costs one-half to one-third as much. But buyers of Mexican Coke are convinced that sugar has a superior taste.

For DK, though, “this whole coke issue is beside the point somewhat.”  His choice of soda is actually another Mexican product, the Sangria Senorial. Yes, it’s sangria flavored soda, but it’s non-alcoholic.  And, unlike the Mexican Coca-Cola, Sangria Senorial is legally distributed throughout the US.

Getting back to the actual matter at hand, I had to know how the cost compared to US-made Coca-Cola. Unfortunately, my intrepid interviewee did not recall the exact price of his Coke, but guesses it was between $1.50 and $2.50. Taking him at this word, I puzzled “that much and that much smaller?”  I had expected a price hike, but that seemed a bit ridiculous.   Since sugar cane syrup is subsidized in Mexico the same way corn syrup is in the US, I figured import costs would be the bulk of the price.  But, so many products are imported without that big of a hike.  Others factors probably played into the higher price: 1) The seller knew the perceived value that sugar cane products was greater than HFCS goods and charged accordingly. 2) It was simple supply and demand, and it can be difficult to find Mexican coke in the US.  Lastly, 3) the Coke was marked up because it was sold as convenience food at the local 7-11/Wawa. (In fact, the illicit product was purchased at a small take-out diner).

But, did the better (after) taste make the price worth it?  DK can’t really say because his heart lies elsewhere, confessing again, “I’m not a real coke fan in general. Like I said, I’d go for the Sangria Senorial.  To be honest, the Coke was more of a convenience for me at that time.”  Such a sentiment would be considered blasephemous to those connoisseurs of foreign-made Coke.

February 6, 2009  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Fun Food Facts

3 Responses

  1. Jillian - February 9, 2009

    Quite a few grocery stores have Mexican coke around here and I’ve sampled it on more than a few occasions. The lack of aftertaste is what we noticed as well and the price is very expensive in comparison. Although I consider it more a novelty than a staple and the price is inline for that. Fun post!

  2. foodbubbles - February 10, 2009

    Thanks. : )

    I really have to wonder now how such an illicit good is actually all over America. By turning a blind eye, does Coke actually make a buck or two from these deals? You’ve got to ask where the money from the price hike goes.

  3. Pepsi To Begin Using Actual Sugar In Their “Throwback” Campaign | Food Bubbles - February 19, 2009

    [...] know there is a strong underground movement that prizes Mexican Coke made with real sugar. Is there a similar black market for a Mexican Pepsi? And, did PepsiCo just [...]

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