The conglomerate relies on companies in the U.S. and China for critical raw materials, particularly aspartame, which is made both in Japan and China, but also in US factories. Since coronavirus is sickening thousands, shuttering factories and slowing down production in China, Coca-Cola is poised to get the sugar substitute elsewhere.
"As a result of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 ... our suppliers in China have experienced some delays in the production and export of these ingredients," Coca-Cola wrote in an annual financial filing.