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Every spring, Coca-Cola bottles look a little different, with a bright yellow cap instead of the usual red. While social media compares the seasonal product to Mexican Coke, using cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, the origins of the cap change date back to a rabbi in Atlanta, Georgia.
Rabbi Tobias Geffen, who led Atlanta’s Orthodox Jewish community and served as rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel, is credited with making the iconic drink kosher and ultimately approving it for consumption during Passover. The Atlanta Jewish Times.
Jews who keep kosher are not allowed to eat certain products, including pork and shellfish. They are also not allowed to eat beef that has not been declared kosher. During Passover, these guidelines become stricter, as many Jews abstain from consuming grain products and take corn syrup off the table.
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In 1935, the Coca-Cola Company allowed Geffen to see the drink’s ingredients, while maintaining the secret by not revealing the proportions. He found that the drink contained two areas of concern: glycerin derived from non-kosher beef tallow and corn syrup.
Although Coke failed Geffen’s initial research, the company’s scientists discovered that glycerin derived from cottonseed and coconut oil could be used without changing the taste of the soft drink, solving one problem. After the change in ingredients, Geffen gave it his approval for consumption, but Coke was still banned during Passover. However, the company’s scientists were able to replace the grain-derived ingredients with cane and beet sugar, allowing Jews to enjoy the drink during Passover and throughout the year.
On April 27, 2025, cases of Coca-Cola soft drinks are on display at a Costco Wholesale store in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
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After Coca-Cola switched to high-fructose corn syrup in the standard American formula in the 1980s, the Passover version remained a seasonal exception. Every year in the weeks leading up to Passover, the shelves fill with Coca-Cola products with the bright yellow caps, indicating that they are sweetened with cane sugar and not corn syrup.
The renewed interest in cane soda came as Coca-Cola began expanding the sweetener’s use in the U.S. beyond the seasonal product. In October 2025, Coca-Cola began rolling out cane sugar soft drinks packaged in glass bottles. The change received support from President Donald Trump, who said the cane sugar soda was “better” than the high fructose corn syrup alternative. The product was introduced in select markets, although Coca-Cola has not indicated whether it plans to move away from corn syrup completely.
In this photo illustration, cola drinks are displayed in an ice cooler in a park on July 17, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
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In recent years, the yellow-capped bottles have attracted more attention on social media as some began comparing them to Mexican cola, which is sweetened with cane sugar. Although Mexican Coke is typically sold in glass bottles and generally costs more than the soda produced in the U.S., the version available around Passover has the sweetener without the higher price tag.
Some foodies on social media have encouraged followers to stock up on the seasonal edition of the soft drink due to its cheaper price. The reports have sparked discussions about why the cane version was not available all year round. This could be due to a supply problem, as Coca-Cola Chief Financial Officer John Murphy says. told Bloomberg News that there is “only a certain amount of cane sugar available in the United States.”
