Starbucks Gets Their Vegan On With New Menu Offering

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by Michael Parrish DuDell January 25, 2010
Categories: Eats.

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The most famous coffee shop in America (and probably the world) is finally embracing their vegan guests with some sweet new menu offerings.

Yes sir, Starbucks is now carrying Lucy’s cookies — a healthy line of vegan sweets that are free of gluten, dairy, egg and nut ingredients. We like!

And Lucy ain’t messin’ around! According to the company’s site:

“Our Quality Assurance Program incorporates three key standards you and your family can count on:

We only buy raw materials from carefully selected producers, thus reducing or eliminating the chance for allergen contact before we use the ingredients.

We use the best available methods to ensure there are no detectable allergens from our testing list: gluten, milk, eggs, peanuts and almonds.

We don’t allow any of these items into our bakery. In fact, peanuts and tree nuts aren’t even allowed in our building!”

What do you think about Starbucks’ decision to incorporate more vegan food on their menu? Chime in and share your thoughts!

  • http://www.themerryvegan.com the merry vegan

    It’s about time. I was at Starbuck’s on Saturday and tried Lucy’s cookies. I will be back for more. Thank you Starbuck’s. Now bring on more! the merry vegan

  • http://www.canadianfoodiegirl.com Andrea

    I can confirm that it’s in Canada too, or at least in the store that I visited last week near my office in downtown Toronto.

    I was pleasantly astonished to find these as well as small packages of Sahale Snacks (http://sahalesnacks.com/index.aspx). Vegan and gluten-free?? I couldn’t contain my shock or excitement and I’m neither vegan nor celiac (though have friends who are). Wondered if it was location specific. Pleased to know that it’s company wide.

  • http://www.toliveandeatinla.com Foodeater

    I think it’s awesome they are carrying vegan cookies… I just wish they were tastier and didn’t tear the roof of my mouth.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=700482388 Jade J’adore

    yayy!!! about time … now if only they would have SOY whipcream to go on top of my SOY latte(hint hint @Starbucks)

  • Becca

    I love it! I wish they would incorporate more vegan foods, like vegan muffins and what not. And I wish they would offer rice, almost or coconut milk in addition to soy milk. But this is a good first step! ;)

  • Becca

    I’m sorry, that should say “almond” not “almost” lol.

  • http://www.ecochica101.blogspot.com Nicole D

    I loved their vegan brownie, i wonder if they still have it?

  • http://www.organikook.com OrganiKooK

    Yeah baby! Can’t wait to try them, and I agree with Jade, some soy whipped cream would be really nice too…

  • http://veganacious.com Veganacious

    The more that corporations feel and respond to consumer demand from vegans and health-conscious others, the more they will respond. Let’s hope they are successful as they venture into the vegan unknown!

  • Anon

    I’d be more happy if they stopped charging $.40 for cold soy milk in coffee for starters.

    I did find a hummus wrap sandwich in a Starbucks in Scotland though, they’re on the game in the UK.

  • Stephanie

    I would just be happy if Starbucks quit charging 50 extra cents for a tiny bit of soymilk. So ridiculous and discriminatory against vegans/ lactose intolerant people/ people with milk allergies. Soy milk does not cost that much more than dairy milk.

  • alanpdx

    So, is the new soymilk still not vegan? What’s the point?

    • http://weganskienewsy.blox.pl lilka

      what do you mean, it’s not vegan?

    • Lisa

      Yay Starbucks for offering vegan snacks!!! ;o)
      How can soymilk not be vegan??? Please fill me in as this is something I’ve never heard of.
      And none of the Starbucks I’ve ever been to in NY, FL, or NV have ever charged me for soymilk. Is this a new thing?

      • Marrisa

        Hey guys, Im both a vegan AND work for starbucks so im well aware of what is and isn’t vegan. The soy milk we offer now is and has always been began. True, it is a sweetened vanillia, but it is organic and 130 calories per cup. Thats the same amount as the 2% milk we carry!

      • Marrisa

        So, as a starbucks emplyee and fellow vegan here’s the DL on starbucks and veganity. The vegan brownie and other previous gluten free items were cut from the line up due to lack of customer interest. But good news! other iteams like the cinnion chip scones and others that were once discontinued have been brought back due to customer response. Head to http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ and let them hear your cries for vegan goods!

        True, you can get free soy milk once you sign up for the rewards program, but I still side with those that feel the slight larger coast soy milk should not be passed on to the customer for a profit. Oh,and for those who say they haven’t been charged for soy, its tedious and time consuming to add soy to the order, so often its skipped. That, and I’m pretty sure there’s and underground revolt forming about the soy charge.

        About Lucy’s cookies. If i read correctly, Canada store will not be carrying Lucy’s cookies, nor do smaller US stores such as mine :( , but I do know Canada has gotten other options for gluten free, I’m not positive as to what they are though, don’t quote me on it. I can check next time I’m at work.

        blah blah blah so much to say. But the main thing to remember is tell Starbucks what you want at http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ !! So many changes in Starbucks stores as of late have come from these suggestions.

  • http://weganskienewsy.blox.pl lilka

    And how many times I asked them by emails for the vegan option and they were always very rude :) but I guess, just knock and it will be opened…

  • Amy

    The new soymilk is vegan; I read the label when they first switched because I was wary. And I saw the Lucy’s cookies at my local SBs, and was so surprised! Like someone else mentioned, they had a bunch of other snacks too, some of which might be vegan. I’ll have to try them next time.

  • Jolia

    Awesome…maybe they’ll consider changing their policy on charging more money for soy milk.

  • Ben

    I’m going to stop by Starbuck’s this AM, just to see what’s currently in the stores in my area. It will be very nice if they now have vegan goodies to eat! Starbuck’s may be getting my business more often, if I can now get breakfast as well.

    Unfortunately, I’ve asked about the price of soy and received the answer that it costs more to handle. Likely because it’s smaller batches, but I think more likely that they get a substantial discount on cow milk, which is also more likely to be sourced from a closer supplier. It would make business sense for a latte vendor…

  • E.

    I dig the new snack offerings — they’re nice for kids as well as vegans. The Starbucks I visited had also added fruit leather, pureed fruit drinks and KIND bars (I know some of these have honey, though).

  • Bec

    I think it’s fantastic! I’m wondering if they will bring it to their Australian stores?

  • Christina

    Soymilk is free if you use one of their prepaid gift cards, and register it on their website. They’re reloadable online too. They’ll ring up the cost of the soy, but when they run the card, it automatically subtracts the cost.

    • Susie

      Well, THAT sounds truly ridiculous and time-consuming.

      And I agree with the others who are hoping for vegan muffins, too. And it’d be nice to have a SOFT vegan cookie.

  • sabita patwardhan

    Always glad to hear of vegan foods on menus. Hope very very much that people are becoming aware that calves are forced from their mothers and slaughtered so that we take their milk. It’s an awful horrible thing to do and something that the dairy industry and farmers have been quiet about.
    Keep spreading this out.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=809374497 kathy
  • May

    I was highly disappointed in this selection. First off, the cookies are in a feature bin that was specifically for children and the cookies are in a packet that was labeled for kids with dietary restrictions, etc. I asked for vegan food at the counter, and they said they don’t carry any, even though these cookies were 5 feet from the counter. Humans are lactose intolerant – it is not a “condition”. It is a condition if you are not.

    Yes, I am grateful they exist, it is a very very tiny step for Starbucks, but once again VEGAN was lumped in with GLUTEN FREE and every other disorder for “special” kids. This sort of marketing makes Vegans look like freaks and I am sick of it.

  • http://immortalvampiricshadow.blogspot.com Vampire

    YAY! Now I can go back to Starbucks =D

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