Mexican Coke

In the United States, Mexican Coca-Cola, or Mexican Coke (, Glass Coca-Cola, or Coca-Cola in a glass bottle) or, informally, "Mexicoke",[1] refers to Coca-Cola produced in and imported from Mexico.[2] The Mexican formula that is exported into the U.S. is sweetened with white sugar instead of the high-fructose corn syrup[3] used in the American formula since the early 1980s. Some tasters have said that Mexican Coca-Cola tastes better, while other blind tasting tests reported no differences in flavor.[4]

History

The Coca-Cola Company opened its first bottling franchise in Mexico around 1921 with Grupo Tampico

Taste

Results from taste tests have been mixed. In a tasting conducted by a local Westchester, New York magazine, some tasters noted that the Mexican Coke had "a more complex flavor with an ineffable spicy and herbal note", and that it contained something "that darkly hinted at root beer or old-fashioned sarsaparilla candies". However, participants in a different double-blind test preferred American Coca-Cola,[18] participants in taste tests conducted by Coca-Cola, and others reported no perceptible differences in flavor between American Coke and the Mexican formulation.[4]

Bottle

Mexican Coca-Cola is sold in a thick 355 ml or 500 ml glass bottle, which some have contrasted as being "more elegant, with a pleasingly nostalgic shape," compared to the more common plastic American Coca-Cola bottles. Formerly, Coca-Cola was widely available in refundable and non-refundable glass bottles of various sizes in the U.S., but nearly all bottlers began replacing most glass bottles with plastic during the late 1980s.[19] Most exporters of Mexican Coke affix a paper sticker on each bottle containing the nutrition facts label, ingredients, and bottler and/or exporter's contact information, to meet US food labeling requirements.

Adding to the nostalgia factor, the Mexican Coca-Cola glass bottle does not have a twist-off cap as plastic bottles do.[20]

Kosher for Pesach Coke

A similar version of Coca-Cola is bottled in Israel during the Jewish holiday of Pesach (Passover in English). The corn syrup in the standard recipe is replaced by cane sugar in compliance with Jewish dietary law, which states that no grains or grain products may be consumed during the holiday. It is packaged differently than standard Coke; a yellow bottle cap is used on the Kosher for Pesach bottles and the packaging is written in both Hebrew and English. It is exported internationally and can often be found in American kosher supermarkets during and around Pesach.[22]

History

Taste

Bottle

New Zealand

Kosher for Pesach Coke

See also

Further reading

References

producttype	Cola
currentowner	The Coca-Cola Company
country	Mexico
introduced	1921