Why Coke Tastes Different In Other Countries

If you have ever been to the World of Coke in Atlanta, Georgia, or had a Coke to drink in another country, then you may have noticed that Coke can taste pretty different depending on where it's from. For example, there always seems to be a big discussion over whether or not Mexican Coke tastes better than Coke in the United States. Whatever your preference, though, Coke tends to taste different in other countries based on a few factors.

The primary difference between Coke in other countries and Coke in the United States is the sugar that is added. Sometimes the type of sugar varies, but the amount of sugar that is used also varies in the different kinds of Coke. Mexican Coke tends to use cane sugar, for example, while American Coke uses high fructose corn syrup instead (via Smithsonian).

Different countries and cultures have different preferences for how sweet Coke and other soft drinks should be, too, which is another reason why the amount of sugar the carbonated soft drink has in it can vary between countries (via Quora).

For the most part, a lot of components of Coke remain the same in all countries. According to Coca-Cola, the "basic ingredients and process used to make Coca-Cola" are the same everywhere. One other reason why it tends to taste different in other countries is because of Coke's franchised bottling.

This occurs when chains or franchises have a certain agreement with Coke, so they receive the Coca-Cola concentrate and then bottle it or serve it themselves on-site at restaurants, for example. Because the soft drink is mixed up there, the water, carbonation, and type of sweetener can vary (via Easy CO2 Gas). Companies may choose to use less concentrate in different places too. Some of the sugars they may decide to use instead of high fructose corn syrup include cane sugar, brown sugar, or caramel.

Even though the components that can change outside of the concentrate, there are tons of other options when comparing countries — and even regions within countries. So, next time you drink a Coke somewhere new, consider just which factors that might make it taste a little different.