Starbucks to offer almond milk in the US starting September

Due to rising customer demand for non-dairy alternatives, almond milk will be available in Starbucks cafes across the United States starting Sept. 6.

The coffee company will be rolling out next month its “Starbucks Almondmilk” in over 4,600 stores nationwide. The new non-dairy alternative drink will be sold initially at Starbucks-operated and -licensed stores in the Pacific Northwest, Northern California, New York, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

According to Yoke Wong, manager of Starbucks Beverage and R&D Team, almond milk is one of the top products requests of customers, based on the company’s outsourcing efforts through the My Starbucks Idea site.

Almond milk will be available for customers who want non-dairy alternatives for their customized Starbucks handcrafted beverages.

“We created our own almondmilk recipe to complement our hot, iced and Frappuccino® blended beverages,” Wong said in a statement.

“It was designed so that when steamed, it creates a rich foam for hot beverages and is delicious and creamy when served in cold beverages.”

More non-dairy options

Almond milk will be the third non-dairy alternative on the Starbucks’ menu. The coffee giant first introduced soymilk in 2004, followed by coconut milk in February 2015.

“The almond butter in our almond milk adds body and complements the roasty notes of espresso,” Wong said. “Because it’s unflavoured, customers can customize to their taste preferences.”

Starbuck’s adaption of non-dairy alternatives is meant to address consumer preference. According to surveys, at least 58 percent of American adults consume non-dairy milk and almond milk is the most popular of the alternatives in the non-dairy market based on the data gathered by Mintel.

The company clarified that “Starbucks Almondmilk” has light almond notes without added flavoring.

“An 8-ounce serving has just 3 grams of sugar, compared with 12-13 grams of naturally occurring sugar in 2 percent dairy milk. It can be used in any handcrafted Starbucks beverage for an additional 60 cent charge,” Starbucks pointed out.

Customer demand is a key driver of change in Starbucks’ myriad of offerings. The coffee company introduced Aussie favourite Flat White in November 2015 as a holiday espresso beverage in the US and Canada. It has also gave into cultural phenomenon with Strawbery and Acai berry-blended Pink Drink.

Founded in 1971, Starbucks started as a coffee roaster and retailer of whole bean and ground coffee, tea and spices at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. The company now has 4,600 stores across the US and 24,000 retail stores across 73 countries.