Starbucks Switches To Hormone-Free Milk

Starbucks has announced that it is moving forward with its long-promised plans to serve only milk produced by cows free of the artificial hormone known as rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone). According to the company, all of its core dairy products (fluid milk, half and half, whipping cream and eggnog) are now rBGH-free. Unfortunately, Starbucks also plans to stop selling organic milk in its stores next month. The company has stocked organic milk at U.S. shops since 2001. Starbucks spokesman Brandon Borrman said the original reason for offering it was to cater to customers who wanted milk from cows that weren't given rBGH.

The move comes after Starbucks was targeted in a campaign by consumer groups critical of the use of rBGH, which is given as a supplement to dairy cows to increase milk production.

Starbucks started talking about offering milk free of artificial hormones as early as 2000, said Starbucks spokeswoman Sanja Gould. But after initially pledging to make the change rather quickly, the company was forced to scale back its plans after it learned that its suppliers could not provide it with enough milk free of rBGH to meet the needs of all its stores.

:: Via: Wall Street Journal

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