[tanknetter]

So the idea was to make New Coke so bad, that people would gladly accept “Classic” Coke with the HFCS.

This has been debunked by the fact that Coca-Cola had already replaced cane sugar with HFCS in its formula (the assertion that the formula hadn't changed in ~100 years being patently false) by the time New Coke was rolled out.

Also debunked is the theory that "New Coke" was a stalking horse designed to regain market share from Pepsi by failing in such a way that the public would flock BACK to "Coke Classic" due to the extrinsic nature of the brand. IOW, you never really appreciate something until it's gone ... and you WILL appreciate something lost more when it returns.

My local Costco sells the Mexico-bottled old-formula Coca-Cola with sugar, not HFCS. There's a HUGE difference in taste. Same thing with Pepsi, noted when they recently released "Pepsi Throwback" (sold in Safeways mainly, iirc) again with cane sugar.

Now here's the really funny thing - New Coke's legacy lives on in the form of Diet Coke, which is based on the New Coke formula. CokeZero is the diet drink based on the "Classic" formula ...

[varina davis]

Yep, Coke Zero is much better than diet Coke.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Approximately when did HFCS replace sugar, then? If it was virtually the same time, then the conspiracy could have some validity. If it was significantly earlier, then not at all.