Caribou Coffee Comes Clean

Coffeehouse says it’s the first chain to offer clean-label beverages.

March 16, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS – Caribou Coffee has set a clean label standard for its U.S. locations, making the coffee company the first national coffeehouse chain to offer beverages made with clean label ingredients, according to a press release. 

This commitment means that the company will not add artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives, MSG or high fructose corn syrup to its beverages, and all beverages will be made with clean label ingredients by 2018.

The coffee company has a history with offering clean ingredients, when possible. In 2010, Caribou started using real chocolate chips rather than powdered chocolate, and Caribou says it was the first national coffeehouse company to offer 100% Rainforest Alliance beans in 2012. In January of 2016, the brand introduced caramel sauce and vanilla syrup made with only four ingredients: pure cane sugar, water, natural vanilla flavor and Madagascar vanilla beans extract.

Caribou also came up with an "off-limit list" of 70-plus ingredients—including high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and aspartame—that will not be added to beverages. Caribou began working on a specific clean label plan in February of 2014. Currently, 91% of Caribou Coffee's beverages are made with 100% clean label ingredients, and the remaining 9% (those made with chai, sugar-free chocolate syrup and two toppings) will meet the new standard by the end of 2018.

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