How? By proclaiming their coffee was purchased via “fair trade.” “Fair trade” is a ridiculous, yet apparently effective marketing claim. Starbucks knows this.Ī few years ago, the company doubled down on selling social consciousness. Facts don’t sell six dollar cups of coffee, feelings do. People are moved by, and make purchases based on, emotion. burns a lot of carbon! Starbucks also generates 868 kilotons of waste and withdraws a billion cubic meters of water each year according to sustainability consultant, Quantis. Transporting coffee from tropical, developing countries to wealthy consumers in places like the U.S.

Starbucks is no Enviro-Angel, Hence the Posturing Milk, in this case, is merely Starbucks’ environmentally themed sacrificial cow in pursuit of money. It’s also an example of Starbucks brilliant - and hypocritical - publicity machine.

The coffee chain, with 31,000 stores worldwide, will “encourage” customers to opt for dairy alternatives rather than cow’s milk to accent their beverages.Īt first, I took Starbucks’ action as another insult to the already injured dairy industry. While the upcharge for the product will still remain solidly at the 60 cents people have been used to for soy milk, having another choice when you’re out and about with friends and in need of a trenta, iced, low-acid, shaken-not-stirred, half caf/half decaf, non-dairy, sprinkle-of-cinnamon, delivered-with-a-sweeping-rendition-of-“Pump up the Jam” coffee is always encouraging.This week, Starbucks made an announcement pledging to do its part to save the world. In the case of Starbucks, they’ll be using Starbucks Single Origin Sumatra Coconut Milk, a certified vegan product sourced from single-origin coconuts from Indonesia. With both soy and milk sales expected to continue their downward sale s trajectories, these establishments serve as a powerful case study of how consumer demand drives product availability. and Dunkin’ Donuts all have non-dairy alternatives like almond milk or coconut milk at their locations. Peet’s Coffee, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Dutch Bros. Starbucks is merely the latest in a growing string of large, chain coffee shops that are moving away from soy while adding to their non-dairy arsenal.

Sumatra coconut beverage