In November 2023, Starbucks ceased its practice of charging extra for non-dairy milk alternatives, leading to a price reduction of over 10% for dairy-free coffee drinkers. While this encouraged more customers to try alternatives, coconut milk continued to be a poor fit for hot lattes due to its watery texture and inability to froth well, which can result in bitterness in espresso drinks. This issue is not unique to Starbucks as many coffee shops face similar challenges with coconut milk, highlighting its general inadequacy for crafting creamy hot beverages.
Starbucks' decision to eliminate the up-charge for non-dairy milks offers customers price reductions, encouraging more dairy drinkers to explore alternative options while highlighting the shortcomings of coconut milk in hot lattes.
Coconut milk, particularly Starbucks' version, fails to complement espresso or create the creamy texture desired in hot beverages, resulting in a bitter taste.
The challenge of frothing coconut milk effectively continues to affect coffee shops beyond Starbucks, indicating a broader limitation within the non-dairy milk category.
While Starbucks crafted their own coconut milk, it was never well-received for hot drinks, demonstrating the ongoing struggle of individual coffee shops like Starbucks to satisfy non-dairy milk drinkers.
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