If you are an avid reader of my blog you will know that I am completely and madly in love with the corporate coffee monster called Starbucks. In short, I heart Starbucks.
Why do I love Starbucks so much? I love Starbucks because when you go to a Starbucks you always know what to expect. This applies to all Starbucks (except the one's at Barnes and Noble; they suck) no mater what city or country you are in. Whether you are in an airport, a hotel, a mall, or even a rest stop along the highway (yep, they are popping up everywhere) they are all the same.
I live for the Grande soy latte. Live for. I am one of those unfortunate people who cannot tolerate milk so the soy is a must have. Over the years I have grown to love the soy. Love the warm vanilla taste. Love the thick constancy. Love the warm soy foam. Love it. Need it. Can't live without it.
You see where this is going don't you?
Last week I noticed that my drink tasted a little but off. I thought that maybe they mixed up the milk and that is why the flavor tasted a bit like dish water. The next day I ordered the same and this time I watched them to make sure they were in fact using the soy. They did, and when I left I was a bit taken aback when I tasted the same watery drink when I got home. I started thinking (as I always do) maybe I am pregnant and so maybe my taste buds are off.
When I went back the next day I asked my favorite barrista if they started using a different soy milk and yes, of course they did. I was completely horrified to find that this was going to be a permanent change. As in forever. As in no more Starbucks for me? Gasp.
I refused to be beaten. I asked for sugar free vanilla in my drink in the hopes that it would bring back that warm vanilla flavor of lattes past. Nope, still tasted like shit. Today I added mocha. Better, but now just tasted like warm chocolate shit. Shit with more calories and sugar. Not exactly what I was looking for.
I know what you are all thinking. Just make the damn thing at home. Yes, I could have coffee at home, but it will never be the same. It's the experience that I love. The little man and I no matter what the weather take our 15 minute stroll the the Central Square store. I love ordering my favorite drink in my personal cup. I love that first sip as I exit the store. In the summer I love stopping at the park while my little man runs around and I drink that soy deliciousness.
So now what? At this point I don't really know. I have heard from the store that everyone is complaining but the problem with giant greedy corporate monsters is that they don't care. Apparently they had a focus group who said they didn't notice a difference (my ass) so this is unlikely to change. There is an organic coffee shop just down the street from my beloved Starbucks and I may have to give them a chance.
It's just all so sad. Not in anyway to be compared with the horrors that exist in the world, and I am not in anyway trying to present this in that way.
I really just want to know if it wasn't broke why did you have to go and fix it?
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9 comments :
That is annoying... my starbucks drink of choice is a grande americano- have you tried? they make it with espresso and steamed water, so no milk needed!
XoXo
BB
I know what you mean! its the experience of going to get coffee... especially when you have small people in tow! Its the thing that makes you feel human again even if you have had a day of being wrung out to drip dry as a mummy! I do like Starbucks but it always tastes better as take out for some reason! We have Caffe Nero here and its fab... it's my favourite and featured in very early blog posts! Have never done the soy thing as am OK with skinny milk. And for those times when I've shuffled out of bed and am not in a fit state yet to go out then the Nespresso machine is the bomb! xx
i noticed it as well but when i asked my local starbucks about it (in westwood, ma), they said that they sometimes get shipped a different brand but it will change back to silk again. hmmm...not sure then who has the correct story. i hope they change it back to silk because i, like you, do not like the organic soy milk they are using currently.
Yeah! I noticed two days ago that the soy milk container they used was no longer Silk Soy milk... And that it was a yellow container instead. So far, it hasn't tasted that bad to me yet... But yeah, the old soy milk was SOOOOOO good.
hi, as a former cambridge resident now living in india, i love your blog, its so nice to read when im feeling a little homesick. im also an exclusive soy drinker, and completely sympathize. if you mean the 1369 (i was a regular there for a while) give them a shot, the place is awesome, and the coffee is delicious, although the lines can be a long. also, their cold-brewed coffee in the summer is divine, something ive been trying to replicate with limited success over here. hope it warms up there soon.
flashbacks to when I realized they stopped selling Clearly Canadian (best soda ever!!!)
boo to starbucks
Love soya latte as well. Here in the UK Stabucks use fresh Alpro soya milk which is delicious. I even use it onto my cereals. Hope they will never change it! I do not know if you have Pre-a-manger in the US, but their soya latte/cappuccino is pretty good too. Ciao. Antonella
I'm so glad to see that other people feel as strongly as I do about the soy milk. It's the yummy warm cozy vanilla foamy steamed milk that I love. I don't want to have a Americano with no soy milk, I don't want to have my tea with out soy either. I used to look forward to ordering my Tall Tea misto with 1/2 foamy soy milk, now it's just not the same. The new soy milk starbucks is using is crap. I unfortunately will not be going back till they change the soy milk. I can't drink any other dairy, and I used to specifically go to starbucks because they are one of the few (or used to be one of the few) places that use the Silk Soy milk brand which I love, most local shops use a different soy, it's still way better then the crap starbucks has decided to go with but again not the same. Sad!! I hope they change it back :( but if they don't I guess it's time anyway to be more green and save money and make my own tea and soy at home. The bears are sad my friend. :(
http://www.organicconsumers.org/images/bytes/silk.jpg
Here is an image of what the heck's going on.. Sneaky Silk (Starbucks former soymilk of choice) is no longer owned by White Wave.. so the organic soymilk is no longer organic !! BUT THEY FAILED TO CHANGE THEIR LABELS ! STILL USING THE SAME CONTAINER/COLOR/WORDING.. so I had no idea until I came across a blog online.. people are trying to boycott Silk..
I feel cheated by their sneaky lack of advertising to help us know that the trusted brand we've used for years have now started quietly deceiving us consumers !! So KUDOS to Starbucks for not carrying something so controversial !!
They also outsource the soybeans from China now which is hurting U.S. Organic soybean farmers!! I'm sorry the new soymilk at Starbucks tastes like crap.. but at least they aren't putting money into a company that has betrayed us all.. and beats around the bush when you ask them a straightforward question. !!!!!!
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