Guest post on ordering from our vegan Starbucks barista
Editor’s note: Although there may be several gray areas of conversation because of Starbucks’s decision to outsource their bean distributors from third world farmers, it should be clear that we are not interested in getting into a political or ethically fueled debate about the topic. Our guest blogger, Alyssa, would like to clarify that she is committed and loyal to her company, store and coworkers, but she does not represent decisions made by high-level CEOs.
Veganism is one of the most popular topics on the Internet and the hardcore scene. Starbucks may as well be the most known coffee provider in, well, the entire world – you can find “a small taste of Seattle” in the furthest corners of the world. You would think that such a large corporation would choose to offer vegan-friendly options.
Until that day comes, vegan baristas can let you know what’s up. There are more of us then you’d think.
When it comes to syrups and drinks, other than regular coffee, there are actually more vegan friendly options than there are not. They only syrups that contain dairy ingredients are as follows:
- White Chocolate Mocha
- Pumpkin Spice
- Caramel Brulee
When it comes to a latte, you can add any syrup flavor you’d like. All of the regular syrups are basically just liquid sugar and artificial flavorings. The chai is also a concentrated liquid chai that does not contain dairy. Therefore, they are all vegan. I have personally researched the mocha sauce, many times over, to make sure that it is indeed vegan. It is made with all natural cocoa powder mixed with hot water.
Toppings are a little trickier. The main topping that does have dairy in it is the caramel drizzle that dresses up the caramel macchiato and caramel frappuccinos. The chocolate shavings that top peppermint mochas and the caramel brulee toppings both have labels that read, “processed on machines that share dairy ingredients,” so I guess that is more of a personal opinion as to whether it qualifies as vegan or not.
Starbucks does offer a soymilk option and in my opinion, it is the best tasting soymilk I have ever had. I usually get a soy latte with vanilla and hazelnut. I am a simple woman and I like simple drinks. Another favorite of mine is a dirty vanilla soy chai. This basically just means a vanilla soy chai with x-number of espresso shots. Too delicious.
I’ve been with Starbucks since July of last year and I have been vegan for around the same amount of time. I had been vegetarian for a few years and had bounced around the idea of going vegan during that time. It had been something I had wanted to do – I just didn’t think that I could do it. Luckily, I now have the support I needed to really put all of my effort into something that I really felt I needed to do. Derek has been vegan for something like 13 years, and he is the sole person I go to for advice and questions that I may have about the lifestyle change.
I talked with some co-workers about the idea of going vegan and I was surprised to find out that one of my shift supervisors was actually vegan herself. I talked a lot with her about the process she went through and the reasons as to why she had decided to embrace veganism. Once again, I was given someone to confide in when it comes to being frustrated at the lack of options available to vegans and the number of people who are uninformed in the food industry.
I have delved deep into the art of vegan baking, and I like that I can make something Derek and I enjoy, as well as being able to share with people at work.
One of the things I enjoy most about being a vegan at work is when customers find out and ask if there is anything I can actually have at Starbucks. In rare times, when there is someone vegan, who does not know the menu well enough asks questions, I am the one my co-workers call upon to answer their questions. It is really gratifying to know that I have the knowledge to inform our customers that being vegan and enjoying tasty beverages is an option!
I also believe it’s important to keep my coworkers informed, especially if they don’t know anything about veganism – especially when it comes to knowing what is a dairy ingredient and what is not. It’s an important way to start eliminating the issue of not being able to answer questions that many vegans have about our drinks.
—Alyssa
