What The Seasonal Yellow Caps On Coca-Cola Bottles Mean

If you live in an urban area, seeing the caps on Coca-Cola bottles switch from red to yellow might be your first indication of spring. Each March and April, Coca-Cola makes this swap — not to indicate a new flavor coming out, but to signal that the soda in those bottles is kosher for Passover. Though Coca-Cola is always kosher, dietary rules during Passover are different, so they use a different recipe to ensure Jewish customers can still enjoy their product.

The term "kosher" means "suitable for consumption," indicating that foods and culinary practices falling under this term are acceptable for Jewish folks who keep kosher. Some of the most common rules include abstaining from pork, never mixing dairy with meat, and avoiding shellfish. During Passover, however, many Jewish families observe a stricter version of kosher laws that require abstaining from leavened foods, such as bread or pastries that rise when baked. This means that grains in general are off limits, from wheat and barley to corn and legumes.

Throughout most of the year, Coca-Cola is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup that is derived from corn. Since those observing Passover can't eat corn products during this holiday, Coca-Cola sweetens its Passover-friendly recipe with cane sugar instead. The bright yellow caps on these bottles are also stamped with "O-U-P" to indicate they're certified kosher for Passover by the Orthodox Union.

Despite the company's modern efforts to accommodate its Jewish customers, Coca-Cola wasn't always kosher. This changed early in the 20th century when a rabbi — noting how much younger Jewish community members enjoyed the drink — approached the Coca-Cola Company with concerns about their recipe. Coca-Cola eventually agreed to modify its recipe in order to keep its growing Jewish customer base.

However, in the early 1980s, Coca-Cola began using high-fructose corn syrup in place of cane sugar to reduce production costs. This change meant that those keeping a kosher diet could enjoy it any time of year, except Passover. Upon realizing this, Coca-Cola rallied to remain loyal to their Jewish customers by launching a special kosher-for-Passover edition that reverted back to the older recipe that didn't contain corn by-products.

Jewish people refrain from eating grains and certain other foods during the eight days of Passover as part of a celebration remembering their ancestors' difficult journey out of Egypt and into freedom. Though their diets are restricted during this time, they may still enjoy many delicious traditional Passover foods, plus any grocery store staples labeled kosher for Passover — including this special edition of Coca-Cola. Whether you're preparing for this annual holiday or just love Coca-Cola's original recipe, be on the lookout for the yellow caps when spring starts to bloom.