Starbucks is renowned for going above and beyond to please all demographics within its vast customer base.
Consequently, the company offers plant-based milk alternatives, such as almond, coconut, and soy milk, to customers who don't consume regular dairy milk.
Quick Answer: Does Starbucks have oat milk?
Starbucks has oat milk. This coffee house specifically uses Oatly Barista Edition oat milk, thanks to its thick and foamy texture, making it ideal for milk-based coffee beverages, such as lattes and cappuccinos.
Read on to learn more about Starbucks' preferred brand of oat milk, Oatly Barista Edition, and whether this oat milk is good for you!
What oat milk does Starbucks use?
There are several oat milk brands on the market today.
However, Starbucks has exclusively used Oatly Barista Edition oat milk in its coffee beverages since 2021. So, what's so special about this oat milk?
To begin with, Oatly is a highly reputable brand. This Swedish company was the first to produce oat milk and has been in the business for approximately 30 years.
As you can imagine, they have been around long enough to know what works and what doesn't, allowing them to refine their processes to produce the best quality products for various needs.
As its name suggests, Oatly's Barista Edition oat milk has been specially curated for coffee baristas.
It has several characteristics that make it easy to work with when preparing your favorite milk-based cup of Joe.
Why does Starbucks use Oatly Barista Edition oat milk?
As mentioned, Oatly's Barista Edition oat milk has various properties that make it ideal for preparing lattes and cappuccinos.
First off, Oatly's Barista Edition oat milk is creamy, foamy, and thick, which are the ideal characteristics for milk meant to be used in coffee drinks.
Its thick and frothy texture means the Barista Edition does not disintegrate when mixed with hot coffee at high speeds. Instead, it creates an enticing foam akin to that of dairy milk.
Oatly Barista Edition owes its thick consistency to its higher fat content compared to other oat milk products on the market. The fat comes from rapeseed oil, infused into the formula during manufacturing.
Oatly's Barista Edition oat milk also contains an acidity regulator, which is another reason why Starbucks uses it in its coffee beverages.
Fun fact: As of November 7th, 2024, the extra charge for non-dairy milks, such as oat milk, has been removed for customers in the U.S. and Canada.
Is Oatly Barista Edition oat milk sweet?
You will find this oat milk to be quite sweet.
The good news is that Oatly does not deliberately sweeten the Barista Edition; the milk sweetens naturally during the manufacturing process.
Oat milk is rather easy to make. Simply add water to the oats, and then add some enzymes to facilitate the breakdown of the oats.
During that breakdown, the enzymes convert the complex carbohydrates in oats into simple sugars, thus resulting in a sweet-tasting product.
As such, Oatly Barista Edition is naturally sweet.
Do all Starbucks have Oatly Barista Edition oat milk?
Starbucks does its best to stock all its stores with the Barista Edition.
However, considering that this coffee house sources its oat milk from only one manufacturer (Oatly), supply issues are bound to occur.
Moreover, location matters, too. The demographics in certain locations may have an overwhelming preference for dairy milk, causing Starbucks to prioritize stocking oat milk in other areas.
Nevertheless, that shouldn't be a problem for you. You can always get your own Oatly Barista Edition oat milk:
If it is not available, you can always use the Califia Farms Oat Barista Blend, too, which is just as good:
I have also written a guide on how to make an oat milk latte at home, so you can enjoy your favorite beverage without having to visit Starbucks.
What drinks at Starbucks are available with oat milk?
Starbucks offers a variety of beverages that feature oat milk, either as a standard ingredient or as a customization option.
Here are some popular options you can order right now (you can click the link to check out the drink on the Starbucks website:
- Brown sugar oatmilk cortado
- Iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso
- Iced hazelnut oatmilk shaken espresso
- Gingerbread oatmilk chai
- Iced gingerbread oatmilk chai
As I've mentioned before, you can customize all drinks at Starbucks by substituting dairy milk with oat milk.
This means you can enjoy all your favorite drinks, such as lattes, macchiatos, and other espresso-based drinks with oat milk (and it's free if you live in the U.S. or Canada!)
Conclusion
Whether you are lactose-intolerant or just prefer plant-based milk, you will be pleased to know that Starbucks offers oat milk.
This coffee house giant uses Oatly Barista Edition oat milk, thanks to its rich consistency, allowing for a stellar-looking and exquisite-tasting latte.
