First Venezuela Lost Its Beer, Now It's Losing Its Coke

Sugar shortage has forced Coca-Cola to halt production there
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted May 24, 2016 8:47 AM CDT
First Venezuela Lost Its Beer, Now It's Losing Its Coke
Drink up now, Venezuela.   (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Forget about buying the world a Coke—Venezuela can't even buy itself one now. Barely a month after the country's main brewery stopped beer production due to Venezuela's ongoing economic crisis, Coca-Cola has announced that it's also halting production of sugary beverages there because of a lack of the commodity needed to sweeten them, Bloomberg reports. "Sugar suppliers in Venezuela have informed us that they will temporarily cease operations due to a lack of raw materials," a company spokeswoman said in an email, per Reuters. Meanwhile, as Coca-Cola has discussions with government officials and suppliers to see what can be worked out, it will still churn out bottled water and Coca-Cola Light, neither of which require sugar. (Mobs are turning to vigilante justice in Venezuela.)

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