What Brand Of Oat Milk Does Starbucks Use?

As the demand for plant-based milks continues to grow, so does their availability. These days, coffee shops are expected to offer vegan milk alternatives as well. From what's arguably the most well-known, soy milk, to bestselling almond milk, and newer options like coconut milk and oat milk, your favorite neighborhood café is likely able to make you a dairy-free beverage. Starbucks, for example, carries all four.

Oat milk in particular has really caught on, so much so that in 2021, Starbucks added it as a permanent option nationwide. Along with adding the grain-based milk to the menu, the company debuted a new drink that featured it, the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. The drink was a hit and continues to be extremely popular. Not surprising, since the refreshing drink isn't just deliciously sweet, but also because Starbucks' shaken espressos are a cheaper and stronger latte alternative. 

When the drink and oat milk news first came out, it was part of a promotion to announce the brand of oat milk the company would be using — Oatly. While there are a number of other brands on the market, Starbucks' choice can be attributed to Oatly's rich texture and excellent foaming qualities. Specifically, the coffee chain uses Oatly's Barista Edition Oatmilk, which is formulated for hot and steamed drinks. It has a higher fat content than regular Oatly and is what makes all of your favorites, hot or cold, lusciously creamy.

Adding Oatly to its lineup aligns with Starbucks' aim to use fewer resources as well as to have a smaller carbon footprint. Oatly strives to be sustainably produced, from its farmers to its packaging, its use of renewable energy, and everything in between. All of its products are vegan and gluten-free, made without nuts, peanuts, soy, dairy, or eggs.

Oatly's founder, Rickard Öste, first created the process for extracting liquid from oats in 1994 at Lund University in Sweden. The company claims to have invented oat milk and states that even in beverage form, the drink maintains the grain's soluble fiber and nutritional content.

Along with its original and barista versions, Oatly also makes unsweetened, low-fat, and full-fat oat milk. Its other products include chocolate milk, half and half, creamer (vanilla, mocha, caramel), cream cheese (plain or chive and onion), soft serve, frozen dessert (in many flavors like vanilla, chocolate, raspberry swirl, mint chip, or fudge brownie, to name a few) — all plant-based and made of oats, of course. The wide variety of allergen-free options is a boon for those who can't or prefer not to consume cow's milk — whether cooking or snacking at home or quenching their thirst at Starbucks.

On occasion, Oatly isn't available at Starbucks, either due to supply chain issues or simply selling out. Some customers have gone online to express frustration at the different taste of their drinks, claiming that they can tell it's not Oatly. High demand has been blamed in some cases, and Oatly has responded to numerous comments on social media citing growth and distribution issues. On Reddit, supposed Starbucks baristas have noted that when Oatly isn't available, their stores use other manufacturers such as Chobani, Dream, and Earth's Own. 

One nice thing about ordering at Starbucks is that you can customize just about any drink. It's easy enough to switch out regular milk for oat, either in person or through the app. Aside from creating your own drink by swapping out the dairy, there are also a few other drinks on the menu that are made with oat milk by default. The Iced Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso consists of blonde espresso and hazelnut syrup, all shaken with ice and smooth oat milk. The Oleato Caffé Latte with Oatmilk also features blonde espresso, steamed oat milk, and an olive oil infusion.

The 2024 spring menu's Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha was a hit, and the leaked Starbucks fall 2024 menu features the return of two seasonal oat milk favorites, the Apple Crisp Macchiato and the Iced Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso, along with a brand new oat milk-based Iced Pecan Crunch Latte.