What's the deal with Mexican co*ke when Canadian co*ke is the same thing? (2024)

Just got back from Canada, where I noticed that all the soft drinks (co*ke etc) were made with real sugar instead of HFCS. So what is the big deal with sourcing Mexican co*ke, even in northern US states, when Canadian co*ke should be just about the same (and presumably more plentiful and easier to get).<BR><BR>Just wondering. I was also explaining to my relatives how in the US there is now a fast growing 'boutique soft drink' industry, the main selling point of which is that they use sugar instead of HFCS.. and my Canadian relatives looked at me like I was crazy. <img src="http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15">

Dunno, but no one here stocks Canadian co*ke, just Mexican.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by aoeu:<BR>and my Canadian relatives looked at me like I was crazy. <img src="http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15"> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Did you say "Don't worry aboot it, eh?"

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JasterMereel:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by aoeu:<BR>and my Canadian relatives looked at me like I was crazy. <img src="http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15"> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Did you say "Don't worry aboot it, eh?" </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Heh. They were just baffled that Americans were treating white sugar like it was some gourmet ingredient.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Heh. They were just baffled that Americans were treating white sugar like it was some gourmet ingredient. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>It is, when compared to high-fructose corn syrup* <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/gavel.gif" alt="Judge" width="30" height="26"> <BR><BR><BR>*I am not a soda-drinker at all.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ecotone:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Heh. They were just baffled that Americans were treating white sugar like it was some gourmet ingredient. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>It is, when compared to high-fructose corn syrup* <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/gavel.gif" alt="Judge" width="30" height="26"> <BR><BR><BR>*I am not a soda-drinker at all. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>++

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Vampyre:<BR>Dunno, but no one here stocks Canadian co*ke, just Mexican. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>It occurs to me now that perhaps Mexican co*ke is substantially cheaper than Canadian, making the extra cost of trucking it up worthwhile?

I hate to break it to you, but Canadian co*ke is exactly the same as USA co*ke. We just don't use the term <I>high-fructose corn syrup</I>. Us and the Brits call it <B>glucose-fructose</B>. See the Wikipedia article on HFCS, which lists the names it goes by in other regions.<BR><BR>Sorry!

It's not co*ke, but Pepsi has been doing the "throwback" thing with Pepsi and Mountain Dew.

I think it has to do with cost. It's cheaper to get Mexican Coca-Cola than Canadian..<BR><BR>So while it's considered vogue, you all are just drinking mexican water with sugar. Haha!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by aoeu:<BR>in the US there is now a fast growing 'boutique soft drink' industry </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>"Boutique," like the stuff they sell at Walmart?

< AD SPACE AVAILABLE <small>Insert something funny here</small> AD SPACE AVAILABLE >

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Black_Obsidian:<BR>I hate to break it to you, but Canadian co*ke is exactly the same as USA co*ke. We just don't use the term <I>high-fructose corn syrup</I>. Us and the Brits call it <B>glucose-fructose</B>. See the Wikipedia article on HFCS, which lists the names it goes by in other regions.<BR><BR>Sorry! </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I think the question is "are the cans or bottles labeled listing the ingredient "sugar" or the words "glucose/fructose"?

I was laughing this weekend when I saw the Pepsi throwback (made with real sugar) ads.<BR><BR>Also "real sugar" used to be labeled in the ingredients as sucrose.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GwT:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Black_Obsidian:<BR>I hate to break it to you, but Canadian co*ke is exactly the same as USA co*ke. We just don't use the term <I>high-fructose corn syrup</I>. Us and the Brits call it <B>glucose-fructose</B>. See the Wikipedia article on HFCS, which lists the names it goes by in other regions.<BR><BR>Sorry! </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I think the question is "are the cans or bottles labeled listing the ingredient "sugar" or the words "glucose/fructose"? </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Two new cans out of the vending machine at the office, which is stocked weekly.<BR><BR>co*ke: sugar/glucose-fructose<BR>Pepsi: glucose-fructose and/or sugar<BR><BR>It looks like with both companies, you might get the real stuff, you might get HFCS, or you might get both. Which, if you ask me, is really damned vague.

From what I understand it is down to the color of the cap. White is HFCS just like the US, and yellow is cane sugar and supposedly marks the bottle as kosher. If you were in an area that predominantly markets to a Jewish population then I would wager that might be why you were finding the 'good stuff'. <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/biggrin_classic.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15">

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Crombie:<BR>From what I understand it is down to the color of the cap. White is HFCS just like the US, and yellow is cane sugar and supposedly marks the bottle as kosher. If you were in an area that predominantly markets to a Jewish population then I would wager that might be why you were finding the 'good stuff'. <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/biggrin_classic.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15"> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>That explains the bottles of co*ke in the "Kosher" section at out local Safeway. It also explains why it's sold at a premium price. However, I can drive down the road to the local Mexican supermarket and buy essentially the same product for half the price.

Advertising is the absof*ckinglutely last place anyone should look in order to make an informed decision about anything.<BR><BR><BR>Americans are great consumers of ad hype. <BR><BR>That's why everyone else hates us for our freedoms.

the difference is, mexico is closer to columbia.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Black_Obsidian:<BR>I hate to break it to you, but Canadian co*ke is exactly the same as USA co*ke. We just don't use the term <I>high-fructose corn syrup</I>. Us and the Brits call it <B>glucose-fructose</B>. See the Wikipedia article on HFCS, which lists the names it goes by in other regions.<BR><BR>Sorry! </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Ah ha... you're right, I believe it did say 'glucose/fructose', which I took to mean white sugar.<BR><BR>So this thread was begging a question.. Canadian and Mexican co*ke are not the same thing after all.

Sugar is more expensive in the US due to some sort of protectionist racket our government has going to protect the sugar beet farmers from inferior, foreign sugar being dumped upon us.<BR><BR>If the soda companies used real sugar instead of HFCS, then they would have to charge more and sell less of it.<BR><BR>--Mike

The reason is that the US contains lots of Mexicans who want food from home--thus supporting a lot of Mexican grocery stores, which stock Mexican co*ke for that real-sugar taste. The US also contains lots of Canadians, but they're less likely to want a Canadian grocery store that stocks poutine and baby seal steaks, or whatever the hell they eat. So they don't get their imported co*ke either.<BR><BR>That, plus their co*ke is the same as ours.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Ah ha... you're right, I believe it did say 'glucose/fructose', which I took to mean white sugar. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>That's weird, because white sugar is sucrose. <img src="http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15">

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Ah ha... you're right, I believe it did say 'glucose/fructose', which I took to mean white sugar. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>But "white sugar" is sucrose. You fail at chemistry. <img src="http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="Big Green" width="15" height="15"><BR><BR>Edit: Alamouttttttttttttt!!!!!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by pauli:<BR>the difference is, mexico is closer to columbia. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Yes in fact Mexico shares a border with Columbia <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/gavel.gif" alt="Judge" width="30" height="26"> <img src="http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15">

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Crombie:<BR>From what I understand it is down to the color of the cap. White is HFCS just like the US, and yellow is cane sugar and supposedly marks the bottle as kosher. If you were in an area that predominantly markets to a Jewish population then I would wager that might be why you were finding the 'good stuff'. <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/biggrin_classic.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15"> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I've only ever seen co*ke caps in either white or red, never yellow. The two kosher aisles at my gigantic local grocery store (Loblaws) don't have any co*ke, either. And I wonder how you'd tell with the cans? A critical question, since co*ke from a 355mL can is vastly superior to co*ke from plastic bottles.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Black_Obsidian:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Crombie:<BR>From what I understand it is down to the color of the cap. White is HFCS just like the US, and yellow is cane sugar and supposedly marks the bottle as kosher. If you were in an area that predominantly markets to a Jewish population then I would wager that might be why you were finding the 'good stuff'. <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/biggrin_classic.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15"> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I've only ever seen co*ke caps in either white or red, never yellow. The two kosher aisles at my gigantic local grocery store (Loblaws) don't have any co*ke, either. And I wonder how you'd tell with the cans? A critical question, since co*ke from a 355mL can is vastly superior to co*ke from plastic bottles. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>What makes it even more confusing is that just about every can of soda that I've seen in this town has that little "kosher" symbol on it on the side.

...

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GwT:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Black_Obsidian:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Crombie:<BR>From what I understand it is down to the color of the cap. White is HFCS just like the US, and yellow is cane sugar and supposedly marks the bottle as kosher. If you were in an area that predominantly markets to a Jewish population then I would wager that might be why you were finding the 'good stuff'. <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/biggrin_classic.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15"> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I've only ever seen co*ke caps in either white or red, never yellow. The two kosher aisles at my gigantic local grocery store (Loblaws) don't have any co*ke, either. And I wonder how you'd tell with the cans? A critical question, since co*ke from a 355mL can is vastly superior to co*ke from plastic bottles. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>What makes it even more confusing is that just about every can of soda that I've seen in this town has that little "kosher" symbol on it on the side. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>The only reason I say 'from what I understand' is that there were two bottles of co*ke at the local corner store. One had a yellow lid, and the other had a white lid. I examined them both, and they seemed to be the same and my little nugget of knowledge comes from the guy working the counter. So, it may be completely useless, but that's what I am am running with. No idea about the cans. <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/biggrin_classic.gif" alt="Big Grin" width="15" height="15">

I just figured Canadian co*ke was cut with maple syrup.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hoos:<BR>I just figured Canadian co*ke was cut with maple syrup. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>That actually sounds... good.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GwT:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Black_Obsidian:<BR>I've only ever seen co*ke caps in either white or red, never yellow. The two kosher aisles at my gigantic local grocery store (Loblaws) don't have any co*ke, either. And I wonder how you'd tell with the cans? A critical question, since co*ke from a 355mL can is vastly superior to co*ke from plastic bottles. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>What makes it even more confusing is that just about every can of soda that I've seen in this town has that little "kosher" symbol on it on the side. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>There's kosher and then there's kosher for Passover--they only stock the sugar-co*ke for the latter. The reason is that on Passover, they only can consume five grains, and corn ain't one of them.<BR><BR>Regular co*ke is regular kosher--for something like a soda that has nothing to do with the actual rules, that just means getting a certification agency to come around and say "yeah, seems kosher to me."

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by pauli:<BR>the difference is, mexico is closer to columbia. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I think you mean Colombia.

Have you actually tatested Canadian vs American co*ke or pepsi? Quite different.<BR><BR>I believe the majority of the product is sucrose but it's blended with fructose. Not 100% fructose.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by wb:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by pauli:<BR>the difference is, mexico is closer to columbia. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I think you mean Colombia. Because Canada is much closer to Columbia, OH. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Few posts up<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> quote:<BR> Originally posted by pauli:<BR> the difference is, mexico is closer to columbia. <BR><BR><BR><BR>Yes in fact Mexico shares a border with Columbia <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/gavel.gif" alt="Judge" width="30" height="26"> <img src="http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15"> </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Pie_plate:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by wb:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by pauli:<BR>the difference is, mexico is closer to columbia. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I think you mean Colombia. Because Canada is much closer to Columbia, OH. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Few posts up<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> quote:<BR> Originally posted by pauli:<BR> the difference is, mexico is closer to columbia. <BR><BR><BR><BR>Yes in fact Mexico shares a border with Columbia <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/gavel.gif" alt="Judge" width="30" height="26"> <img src="http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="Razz" width="15" height="15"> </div></BLOCKQUOTE> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Yeah, yeah.

I wasn't aware Erythroxylum coca could grow up in Canada...

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ecotone:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Heh. They were just baffled that Americans were treating white sugar like it was some gourmet ingredient. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>It is, when compared to high-fructose corn syrup* <img src="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/gavel.gif" alt="Judge" width="30" height="26"> <BR><BR><BR>*I am not a soda-drinker at all. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Indeed. HFCS is the anti-Christ of sweetners. And due to the wonderful Corn Lobby in the .gov, they make damn sure sugar from cane isn't used by just about everyone...<BR><BR>Those f*ckers are the same reason ethanol is so f*cking expensive.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by pauli:<BR>http://www.vtsweetwater.com/maple_soda.html </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Having grown up in New England, even I wouldn't touch that sh*t...

He's a Moxie man.