Starbucks Switches To Hormone-Free Milk
by Justin Thomas, Virginia 
on 01.16.08
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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I am so glad I'm vegan: I just get soy in my drink instead and then I don't have to worry about any poisons being fed to the cow. Or the soybeans, as I'm fairly certain they're Organic.
Great move. How about using Oat Milk, Almond Milk and others.....
Here's an interesting bit of knowledge. I was at the Starbucks in Dana Point on north bound pacific coast highway. As I was being handed my Soy Chai I notices that the employee put an empty plastic apple juice bottle in the TRASH. I asked him if they recycled and he said NO!!! I said there is a recycling center in walking distance....he was unengaged....I was going to drop Starbucks a line....do the math....with another 2,500 Starbucks locations to open this year....the garbage....I thought they were socially aware....I certainly thought they were recycling...to me it is a no-brainer....
@Sheepguy42
My children are lactose intolerant and drink Soy milk exclusively - I have often wondered which is better for the environment - Cow's milk or Soy Milk? My gut says soy milk but I don't have any proof. Does anyone know - or know of any studies that look into that?
Cheers,
Eric
What ever happened to using shade grown, fair trade coffee? The milk is the least of it... My local SB branch didnt' even know what I meant when I asked for fair trade beans...
RE: @SHEEPGUY 42
The production of soy actually is horrible to the forests(amazon) and land being cultivated to produce it. Make sure it is organic soy, the practice in producing it is generally better for the environment. Non organic soy has the same issues as all other mass cultivated crop... Be smart with anything you intend to do that is "better" for health and environment! As for research- google the subject and get tons of info. Cheers : )
sheepguy and eric--
soy is terrible for the environment! many/most of the crops are genetically modified, and the pesticide use is off the charts. never assume something is organic!
i use soy milk, eat tofu, and consume other soy products, but it is a slippery slope. we are wrongfully confident about our impact on the environment when it comes to soy. as for health, it is much better to provide variety in our diet, and too much soy is not good for you (read up on it).
soy is an amazingly versatile crop, but it is far from perfect. however, i think when this information is taken into consideration, sometimes soy is the right choice. now that this new milk option is available at starbucks, cow's milk may be the right choice for your latte.
This is some cs. Maybe they will do this in a few stores, but the starbucks around here get their milk from united dairy. Which just has your normal hormone laced milk, and since they have a contract that doesn't expire for another 2 years i wonder where there going to get all this hormone free milk from?
What about those of us who can't drint the anti-biotics in the milk...which is why I drink organic. The antibiotics are just as harmful if not more so.
the fact that TH is giving starbucks even more publicity, warrants a plea to consider this new attempt at "greening" as just another gimmick to make more bucks.
it's a tragedy that starbucks doesn"t even try to recycle. i think its because there is no profit in it. they have no moral conscience when it comes to the global environment.
go into a starbucks (in L.A.) and see if they leave the water in the sink running. almost everytime i'm there, i ask them if they can turn it off which gets me a dirty look. i was told that they do it to be more time efficient. i felt sick just thinking of the hundreds (or is it thousands) of starbuckses that have carelessly wasted clean, clear precious water at a time when water is becoming more scarce in the rest of the world.
Starbucks for a buck - Emily Carlson
At select Starbucks stores in Seattle, you can buy a cup of joe for a buck.
Ssssshhhh.
It's a new initive by ex-CEO-just-recently-unretired-because-of-falling-stock-prices Howard Schultz. Starbucks is hurting, and something needs to be done.
But who goes to Starbucks because of it's "cheap" prices??
A year ago, Schultz wrote a bitter memo to his executives about what he calls "the watering down of the Starbucks experience." He complained that the soul of Starbucks was gone, and urged the higher ups to bring back customer service.
So he's back in action, determined to change the coffee giant's luck.
There's no question Starbucks is in trouble. In the past year and a half, stock prices have fallen nearly 50%, from a high of $39.63 in May 2006, to closing at $19.66 today. Schultz blames the company's out of control growth. Also ailing are skyrocketing milk prices, the troubling economy, and pressure from McDonald's.
But why dollar coffee?
Isn't that the turf of McDonald's?
But the answer is...not really.
Mickey D's recently announced plans to open "McCafe's." In other words, coffee bars featuring cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas whipped up by baristas, a la Starbucks.
This, after Starbucks added drive-thru windows and hot breakfast sandwiches.
It seems the two mega chains are going after each other... by coping each other.
McDonald's is upgrading, while Starbucks seems to be.. well, downgrading.
The dollar cupajoe seems to be an effort to get crowds in the door, but in the move Starbucks is moving away from it's brand.
Starbucks is the king of $6 cups of coffee. They survived the economic downturn of 2001, when analysts feared the worst for a company who prides itself on hoity-hoity coffee. Starbucks customers LIKE that they shelled out bug bucks for their latte. The well known siren laden white cup is almost a status symbol, recognized in all corners of the world.
Starbucks needs to go back to the "third place." Howard, get rid of the drive-thrus, the expensive merchandise, and the cookie cutter stores. You don't need to sell your coffee for a dollar.
www.emily-carlson.com
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www.eacarlson3.bravejournal.com/
This is just not true. I was just in Starbucks yesterday and asked the barista to see the milk and it was NOT hormone free. I live in NJ.