Starbucks and Kashrut?

Mimisinger

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 9:58 am

So what's the deal? What is kosher there? I understand that I would have to ask my Rav, but are there hechshers on things? I heard the syrups have hechsharim (not that I drink coffee), and other things as well like the coffee. Where would I find the info?

NativeMom

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 10:05 am

They started selling cut up fruit with chof k on it which I thought was pretty neat. I know the coffee is OU but I'm not sure about the syrups, you can ask them to show you the bottles? I used to work at a coffee beanery when I was single and out of high school and the majority of their products are kosher. Their syrups are OU, even the baked goods like scones and turnovers were OUD. I bought a bunch of of the syrups. People used to always come in ask about products and I was always happy to show them.

pappymom

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 10:07 am

Does anyone know if their "Silk" soy milk is a reliable hechsher? I looked and it has a "Torah-K". like a K inside a torah shape. Anyone know what that is?

yo'ma

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 10:20 am

I don't know about the hechsherim, but they opened up a few starbucks here, recently and you should have seen the line shock

Barbara

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 10:22 am

Mimisinger wrote:

There's even a whole website devoted to this issue!

http://www.kosherstarbucks.com/

AFAIK, the plain coffee and espresso are fine. Every syrup I've check is OU, but I still check regularly, just in case. The mixed drinks are NOT OK, because they are blended in machines that are also used for non-kosher. As always, though, check with your rabbi.

BennysMommy

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 10:23 am

yo'ma wrote:

I don't know about the hechsherim, but they opened up a few starbucks here, recently and you should have seen the line shock

Yes and it wasn't just by the grand openings. Every time I pass the one at the Alto Palermo, there is a huge line going outside!!!
yo'ma in case you were wondering I heard that the soy milk they use here is Ades and the rest of the products are all from the US. (I guess besides the milk!)

Ruchel

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 10:34 am

Ask your rav if you need kosher certified or stam kosher (Europeans will understand what I mean), preferably the local rabbinate who knows what is going on in the local Starbucks. I've not been often and I don't recognize the names from the site.

Mimisinger

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 10:45 am

Thanks all for your responses. I'm particularly interested in the hot cocoa - yum! I'll check the site and then ask my Rav. He'll probably say no as there's no hechsher and it's not a coffee I want. We'll see.

I may have to get my hot cocoa fix from a local coffee place that's under the vaad, but I'm currently sitting in a Starbucks doing work and want something yummy to drink!

Mimisinger

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 10:54 am

Ok, so, according to the site, both the hot chocolate and the whipped cream is kosher! Now, to find out who the Rabbi they consulted is and to see if my Rav actually agrees with them!

shnitzel

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 12:19 pm

I've heard the hot chocolate is not kosher.
There may also be an issue with drinking lattes b/c they are hot and made with equipment that is all washed together. Rabbi Chalop of YU gives the bottled drinks a hechsher, it is a "K" but considered good by everyone and I think he says lattes are fine so DH and I kind of go back and forth on that one. You can ask to see the syrups, we do it all the time. Be careful b/c some of the topping syrups are not kosher and are different than the pump ones. We asked to see the frappuccino mixes and couldn't find a hechsher on the box. I would ask your LOR since e/o does differently

avigailmiriam

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 12:25 pm

shnitzel wrote:

The K on the bottled frappucinos is good! Oh, this made my day! They are the thing I've missed most since becoming frum. (That and good brie!)

NativeMom

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 12:27 pm

avigailmiriam wrote:

The K on the bottled frappucinos is good! Oh, this made my day! They are the thing I've missed most since becoming frum. (That and good brie!)

Really???? I was never sure.

zaq

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 12:30 pm

[quote="pappymom"]Does anyone know if their "Silk" soy milk is a reliable hechsher? I looked and it has a "Torah-K". like a K inside a torah shape. Anyone know what that is?[/quote]

Vaad haKashrus of Denver. It's called the Scroll-K.

shnitzel

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 4:21 pm

The "K" is definitely considered good on the bottled fraps and I think other canned drinks there, most "K"'s obviously aren't but this one is supposed to have good supervision. I got this info from people I consider good authority. I think the syrups have an OU but always check the flavour.
I've done quite a bit of research on the topic as you may be able to tell.

Maya

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 4:26 pm

zaq wrote:

pappymom wrote:

Does anyone know if their "Silk" soy milk is a reliable hechsher? I looked and it has a "Torah-K". like a K inside a torah shape. Anyone know what that is?

Vaad haKashrus of Denver. It's called the Scroll-K.

I get a coffee with syrup and add Silk right from the carton. This way, I'm sure that it did not touch any equipment or hot bottles.

chanagital

Tue, Nov 25 2008, 5:02 pm

Their plain coffee is kosher everything that is to be added needs an appropriate hechture on the container. there are a few rabbis who have said to avoid all their flavorings because of contamination from non-kosher sources.