Plant-based menu innovation at Starbucks
Starbucks continues to introduce new drinks and food to menus globally while innovating with plant-based ingredients across key platforms like espresso, cold brew, refreshment, food and more.
Updated August 2024
Building on Starbucks sustainability commitment, the company’s goal to expand plant-based choices as an environmentally friendly menu contributes to our goal to be a resource positive company. Starbucks continues to introduce new drinks and food to menus globally while innovating with plant-based ingredients across key platforms like espresso, cold brew, refreshment, food and more.
Expanding Starbucks plant-based menu globally is one of the ways we are pursuing our goal to reduce our carbon footprint by 50%. Our aim is to provide our customers with a variety of choices as part of their Starbucks Experience and we look forward to hearing feedback from our partners (employees) and customers.
“Starbucks aspiration is to become resource positive. This aspiration, coupled with the insight that our customers are looking for more plant-based choices, has inspired the development of exciting and delicious plant-based beverages and food,” said Michael Kobori, chief sustainability officer at Starbucks. “Our customers continue to look for new ways to enjoy plant-based options at Starbucks and customize their Starbucks moment, and we are delighted to introduce new menu items to our customers over the coming years.”
Customers around the globe continue to see new additions to Starbucks local menus, with even more plant-based options available.
The U.S. menu features a variety of nondairy drinks such as the Iced Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, Honey Almondmilk Flat White (hot and iced) and Starbucks Refreshers® Beverages. Beverages such as the Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai Tea Latte, Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato, Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte and Summer Skies Drink are available seasonally.
Customers in Canada can enjoy a variety of nondairy beverages on the menu including the Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Chai Tea Latte, Iced Hazelnut Oat Shaken Espresso, Iced Brown Sugar Oat Shaken Espresso, Oat Latte and Paradise Drink Starbucks Refreshers Beverage, while also offering a variety of nondairy options to choose from such as soy, almond, coconut and oat beverage. Starbucks also offers vegetarian food choices such as its Three Cheese & Egg Sandwich, Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites and Apples, PB & Trail Mix Snack Box.
Starbucks began offering nondairy milk to customers in the U.S. and Canada in 1997 when it added soymilk to menus. As nondairy beverages grew in popularity, Starbucks added coconutmilk in 2015, almondmilk in 2016 and expanded to offer oatmilk nationally in 2021. In 2024, Starbucks introduced nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream cold foam and nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream, which are both made with oatmilk and soymilk and are delicious additions to any handcrafted beverage.
Alongside nondairy beverages, tasty food like hearty oatmeal and a variety of certified vegan bagels are also available. More information on which breakfast, lunch and snacks at Starbucks are vegetarian or vegan can be found here.
In Asia Pacific, Starbucks offers plant-based beverages and alternative milks across the region, and has introduced plant-based food menus in markets such as Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Philippines, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Starbucks continues to offer a range of seasonal plant-based food and beverages, including plant-based whipped cream and M:LK Cream™, a fun and innovative alternative to dairy, thoughtfully created with oatmilk and whipped rice cream.
In April 2020, Starbucks China joined forces with plant-based innovator Oatly to launch oatmilk beverages market wide. This was followed by the launch of almond milk in April 2023, available at all Starbucks stores across the market.
In Japan, Starbucks has been working to expand coffee culture by offering ways to enjoy coffee through a variety of plant-based milks that match the tastes and moods of many of our customers. In addition to our long-time favorite soy milk, we added almond milk in 2019 and oatmilk in 2021 to our standard lineup.
In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Starbucks introduced soy to menus in the UK in 1997, with customers across the region now able to choose from dairy alternatives made from coconut, almond, oat and soy. A vegan version of the Pumpkin Spiced Latte has been available in most markets across EMEA for several years. In January 2021, Starbucks UK expanded its food menu, with the launch of the Beyond Meat Breakfast Sandwich.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, Starbucks continues expanding its nondairy milk options, introducing oatmilk across Latin America and the Caribbean markets starting in 2021. These nondairy milks complement the current portfolio of soy-, almond- and coconutmilk choices available for Starbucks beverages across the region. In 2021, Starbucks launched the nondairy milk option in association with NotCo in Chile, now also available in Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Colombia. Chilean customers can savor two plant-based paninis made in association with NotCo, and those in Mexico can order the NotBurger Baguette and the NotChicken Baguette with Guacamole. In addition to nondairy milk beverages, customers in Starbucks Caribbean markets can enjoy the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.
To help guide our customers’ decision making to meet their dietary lifestyles and unique taste preferences, nutrition facts and ingredients for a majority of the food and beverages served at Starbucks are available on Starbucks.com, on the menu boards at Starbucks stores and listed on the Starbucks app. Customer-favorite nondairy beverages at Starbucks, as well as tips for customizing any drink on the menu, can be found here.
