Starbucks Pledges More Vegan Innovation at Shareholder Meeting

After pledging to brew up a nationwide vegan food line one year ago, Starbucks seems to have stalled out. So Compassion Over Killing roasted the coffee chain’s lack of progress at its annual shareholder meeting today–prompting a commitment to continued vegan innovation.

Last year, Starbucks told Compassion Over Killing at its annual meeting that a US-wide vegan food line was on the horizon in 2018. And after dishing out a vegan cupcake in Miami, tasty breakfast treats, and plant-powered protein bowls in select cities, the chain finally poured out a vegan option on menus nationwide: a macadamia oat cookie.

But then Starbucks told us the cookie was being phased out due to slow sales—and there’s still no sign of a more tempting cookie variety or a robust vegan menu in the US. Meanwhile, customers at Starbucks’ UK outlets are enjoying a variety of vegan sandwiches, breakfast items, and even mac and cheese.

So today in Seattle, Compassion Over Killing volunteer Doug Armstrong told executives at their annual meeting, “The more than 30,000 people who have signed Compassion Over Killing’s petition with Jane Velez-Mitchell are still hungry for hearty vegan food. Meanwhile, competitors are cashing in on the sizzling demand for plant-based foods with options like vegan cream cheese at Einstein Bagels and vegan soup at Panera. When will Starbucks cater to all your consumers with tasty vegan treats like a blueberry muffin, protein bowl, or chocolate chip cookie nationwide?”

In response, Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Rosalind Brewer stated, “We were here last year at this time, and we talked about vegan products and how we will expand. We have expanded in our alternative milks, as you described. Our oatmeal breakfasts, both the blueberry oatmeal and our classic oatmeal, are both vegan. So we continue to explore this for our food and beverage innovation, and you’ll continue to see work come from us in that area.”

Let’s make sure that Starbucks’ progress doesn’t grind to a halt again this year. To express your demand for a more robust vegan menu, sign the petition today.