I’m not lactose intolerant, but I did spend several years on a dairy-free macrobiotic diet. So even though I eat more broadly now, the macro influence persists and I generally stay away from milky stuff. Except I had pizza last night for dinner. And Greek salads with feta are a staple in our household. And, of course, there are those irresistibly refreshing Starbucks Frappuccinos in the summer. So it comes as good news to people like me that Starbucks is testing soy-based Fraps (according to Slashfood). Unfortunately, the test is limited to a couple of tea drinks, making the experiment far less interesting than it would be if the chain were formulating a soy-based Java Chip Frap. Tea? What is that, anyway? Never mind — I don’t want to know.
By the way, the Food & Water Watch, a consumer health group, has been protesting Starbucks’ use of milk produced with growth hormones. The campaign was launched in March, and protesters hit the streets in front of Starbucks shops in June.
And did you know that in its early days Starbucks declined to serve skim milk in its drinks? As I learned from Howard Schultz’s business biography, “Pour Your Heart Into It,” the then-purist company refused to divert from the traditional Italian cafe experience upon which it was modeled. In those days Starbucks also didn’t offer to-go drinks, asserting that its dark-roasted flavor was ruined if served in any material other than ceramic cups. Oh, the compromises wrought by global expansion.
Author by Brad Hill
