"U.S. Thirst for Mexican Cola Poses Sticky Problem for Coke

"The middle shelf in the soft-drink aisle at Las Tarascas, a Latino
supermarket in Lawrenceville, Ga., was bare last week. But store
manager Erik Carvallo couldn't call the local Coca-Cola bottler to
replenish his stock of Coke.

"The Coke Mr. Carvallo's customers had snapped up comes in scuffed
glass bottles stamped "Hecho en Mexico" -- made in Mexico. It found
its way to this Atlanta suburb through an underground supply chain
that flouts Coca-Cola Co.'s long-established distribution system

[...]

"Coke from south of the border is a big business, fueled by the
Hispanic population, the fastest growing minority group in the U.S.,
and soda connoisseurs drawn to its taste and the old-time look of the
iconic bottle. Fans insist the Mexican cola, made with cane sugar, has
a better 'mouth feel' than the U.S. formula. U.S. bottlers switched
from cane sugar to high-fructose corn syrup in the 1980s to cut
costs."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113694582481843377.htm

(requires a paid subscription, though)