Starbucks and Kashrut?

Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8521

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?
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Gold Member Joined: Oct 27 2006 Posts: 2416 Location: NY

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.

Executive Member Joined: Jan 20 2007 Posts: 372

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?

Posted: Tue, Nov 25 2008, 11:20 am Post subject: re: Starbucks and Kashrut?

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

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Posted: Tue, Nov 25 2008, 11:22 am Post subject: Re: Starbucks and Kashrut?

Posted: Tue, Nov 25 2008, 11:23 am Post subject: Re: re: Starbucks and Kashrut?

Posted: Tue, Nov 25 2008, 11:34 am Post subject: re: Starbucks and Kashrut?

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.
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Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8521

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!

Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8521

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!

Posted: Tue, Nov 25 2008, 12:02 pm Post subject: re: Starbucks and Kashrut?

I'd love to hear about the hot chocolate.
And the vanilla latte's.

Gold Member Joined: Feb 12 2008 Posts: 2386

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

Gold Member Joined: Oct 27 2006 Posts: 2416 Location: NY

come to think of it, the syrups at starbucks are kosher

Posted: Tue, Nov 25 2008, 1:25 pm Post subject:

Gold Member Joined: Oct 27 2006 Posts: 2416 Location: NY

Platinum Member Joined: May 07 2008 Posts: 8963

[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.

Gold Member Joined: Feb 12 2008 Posts: 2386

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.

Posted: Tue, Nov 25 2008, 5:26 pm Post subject: Re: re: Starbucks and Kashrut?

Posted: Tue, Nov 25 2008, 6:02 pm Post subject: re: Starbucks and Kashrut?

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.
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Platinum Member Joined: Jun 09 2005 Posts: 11840

Please feel free to check out this two-page thread on the topic:

http://imamother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20469&highlight=starbucks
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Moderator Joined: Dec 26 2005 Age: 33 Posts: 11430

If you email the OU they'll send you a detailed letter about Starbucks (it's a commonly asked question).