Starbucks Soy Warning - ThinnerTimes

Mary W · 05-21-2004, 02:02 PM

Hi everyone,
I saw some of you last night in Poway and told you this, but for the rest of you that enjoy Starbucks, I wanted to let you in on something I learned the hard way. The little coffee house by my work introduced me to Latte made with Soy milk. I get the sugar free syrup and soy milk instead of regular milk or half and half. Plain soy milk has more protien, less sugar and less fat than milk or half and half. So for a treat I would have one of these (it is not a no calorie drink, so it is just an occasional treat). A couple of weeks ago I went to Starbucks and ordered the same thing, about half way through the cup I dumped terribly.

I assumed that they had made a mistake and used regular vanilla syrup. About a week ago I tried again...sugar free soy latte...this time over ice. Again major dump.

Last night before my support group, I stopped at the Starbucks in Poway and ordered again...Sugar free vanilla soy latte. I asked her to please make sure that they used sugar free syrup as I get ill on sugar. I watched as she used the sugar free syrup. Then the cup was past to the Barista, I saw to my disbelief that he was pouring sweetened vanilla soy milk into the steam cup! This has 13 gms of sugar in 8 oz, vs. 1 gm of sugar in unsweetened soy milk. I asked if they had any unsweetened soy milk and was told that they only carry this special vanilla sweetened soy milk. So in my 16oz Grande Latte that I thought was going to be 2 gms of sugar, I received 26 gms of sugar!

No wonder why I dumped! Needless to say I opted to have him use half and half instead.

So for any of you who where under the false impression like me that a Sugar Free Vanilla Soy Latte would be low in sugar, Wrong! I am writing a letter to Starbucks suggesting that they at least offer the option of unsweetened Soy milk.

Ok, I'm off my soapbox. Just be careful of things that you don't make yourself.

Mary

katlover66 · 05-22-2004, 07:50 PM

I agree with you we also need to push for no sugar added powder for the frappachino's. I had the guy look up the sugar content on a mocha frappachino with no whipped cream and it was 40 grams of sugar. I am sticking with the Sugar free vanilla iced coffee with half and half and going to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf for the NSA mocha iced blends. About 4 grams of sugar.

Mary W · 05-27-2004, 02:49 PM

I just wanted to update everyone on my earlier post. I sent an email to Starbucks explaining what happened to me with their sweetened soy milk. I also explained why certain medical conditions including ours prevent people from consuming sugar and why they need to inform customers that are ordering a sugarfree drink that it isn't sugarfree. I also suggested that they offer unsweetened soy milk as an alternative for people who by medical necessity or by choice are avoiding sugar.

I received a phone call today from Starbucks customer service. They thanked me for my letter, said that they were forwarding it to product development and if there were enough requests from customers for unsweetened soy milk they would add it to there product line (so write in).
The best part...they are sending me a $50 starbucks card.

See sometime it pays off to stick up for ourselves.
Mary

bridgetgirl · 05-27-2004, 03:31 PM

I wrote Starbucks also. Try to give 'em more of a push. I requested more choices of syrups if possible..... even a sugar free chocolate syrup! I told them that would be a dream come true! Oh yeah I also pushed for sugar free soy milk too. I hope it helps!

Bridget
lap 2//9/04
289/222/141

katlover66 · 05-28-2004, 07:37 PM

I plan on emailing them also. My computer has been on the skids all week and I finally figured the problem out last night. I plan to catch up on things this weekend. I have been pushing them at store level and they keep telling me to call the toll free number.

annieb · 05-29-2004, 09:15 AM

MAry, thanks for the info on the soy drinks at starbucks. Although I don't add the vanilla, my favorite drink is the soy latte. I couldn't believe the sugar content. I have been drinking the venti's! I can't believe I haven't had problems, but maybe all that sugar is causing the awful evening gas that I have been having. I will e-mail Starbucks this morning. Can you give us their e-mail address? Thanks, Anne

katlover66 · 05-30-2004, 06:53 PM

Well I emailed them about the lack of sugar free choices and the lack of education of the sugar content their employees seem to have. I told them I ordered a sugar free vanilla frappachino and it was too sweet, turns out it had over 40 grams of sugar. All they did was thank me for my comments and that they would pass them on to product development.

Princess J · 06-16-2004, 11:00 AM

I am a starbucks FREAK, and also got burned by a sugar issue. If you check out the ingredients on their website, you will see that the Chai Tea is sweetened with Honey.

Guess what honey? It has sugar in it. It took a couple of nasty experiences before I could trace it back to the chai. I think I need to write a letter too.

J
286.5/143/150

TEvansCA · 06-17-2004, 06:26 PM

I was at a coffee shop in Yuma last week much like starbucks. This place actully had sugarfree mocha flavor and I ordered a frozen mocha frap type drink from there and had no problem what so ever. It tasted the same as if there were sugar in it. If anyone finds this sugarfree mocha flavor please let us know.

melanie hirschorn · 06-17-2004, 07:38 PM

the coffee bean has sugar free drinks like that.
melanie