News

Starbucks jumps ahead of menu labeling mandate

June 21, 2013

Instead of waiting for the new menu-labeling law to officially take effect, Starbucks Coffee Company this week announced that starting June 25, it will feature calorie information on menu boards and on the pastry cases at all company-operated and licensed U.S. stores.

The chain had already made the info available via printed brochures, a nutrition tab on Starbucks.com and through the Starbucks Mobile App for iPhone, Mary Wagner, PhD and senior vice president, Global Research & Development at Starbucks, said in a prepared statement.

"Menu labeling is yet another step to extend our commitment to wellness, ensuring our customers and partners (employees) have the information they need to make informed decisions and understand all the ways that they can customize their Starbucks beverages to be within their desired calorie range," she said.

Starbucks has been trying to meet the needs of its health-conscious customers since 1997, Wagner said, when it began offering sugar-free syrup with zero calories and zero grams of fat was added to the existing line of syrup flavors.

Listening to customer and partner feedback and bringing relevant options with real, wholesome ingredients, in moderate portion sizes and sensible calorie amounts have been a core part of Starbucks approach to food and beverages, according to the company. A few of the steps Starbucks has taken include:

• 2003: Introduced beverage customization, offering a way to personalize for nutritional preferences.
• 2007: Announced 2 percent milk as the standard for core beverages in North America, saving customers 17 billion calories per year, equaling nearly 5 million pounds of fat. The switch reduced core beverage calorie content by 14 percent, fat by 36 percent and saturated fat by 38 percent, on average.
• 2009: Offered new bakery items, eliminating artificial flavors, artificial dyes, High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), as well as artificial preservatives and artificial sweeteners where possible.
• 2010: Launched However-you-want-it Frappuccino blended beverage globally, allowing customers to personalize their drink to their lifestyle and taste preferences by selecting from a variety of milks, choosing the intensity of coffee, and picking any combination of syrups or toppings.
• 2011: Introduced grab-and-go lunch items, providing balanced nutrition on-the-go, all for less than 500 calories.
• 2012: Evolution Fresh juices joined Starbucks stores – offering cold pressed juices.
• Summer 2013: Launched new wholesome Salad Bowls, each less than 450 calories.

Starbucks will post calorie counts to accompany each beverage listed on the menu boards, as well as on tags to accompany food in the bakery case. Each beverage is listed as a standard recipe, though each is fully customizable, such as ordering without whip, choosing a different milk or sugar-free syrup option. Customers can expect to see the new menu boards and pastry case displays in all stores in the U.S. beginning June 25.

Read more about healthy menu items.