Starbucks Now Has Oat Milk, But There's A Pretty Big Catch

For many, dairy alternatives for coffee make a big difference. Starbucks customers who are vegan, lactose intolerant, are limiting dairy intake, or simply like the taste of many plant-based options are in luck, as Starbucks now has quite the variety. And with Starbucks announcing its first new drinks of 2020, people are asking: does Starbucks have oat milk? The answer's a little confusing, so here's what you need to know.

On Jan. 7, Starbucks announced its first new drinks of 2020, and all three use plant-based milk. One of these new drinks is the Oatmilk Honey Latte, which is the first addition to its menu with oat-based milk. There's a caveat to this news, though. Both the milk and the Oatmilk Honey Latte are not available at all Starbucks locations. While oat milk has been on the Starbucks' menus in Europe since January 2018 and at select Starbucks Reserve locations since March 2019, as of Jan. 7, the only store locations in the United States to get oat milk are in the midwest. Starbucks says these 1,300 participating store locations are in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

Those who have participating stores near them can pick up the new Oatmilk Honey Latte, made with Starbucks Blonde Espresso, steamed Oatmilk, an infusion of its Honey Blend, and a bit of honey topping. If you're not in one of the midwest states, don't fret. If the milk is popular at its current locations, other stores might get oat milk, too, but expect to wait longer before it ends up at your local Starbucks.

Starbucks began its nondairy lineup with soy milk in 1997, coconut milk in 2015, and almond milk in 2016. With non-dairy milk options getting more and more popular, many people pick 'em just because they like the way the different flavors pair with different drink creations.

If you aren't able to get oat milk at Starbucks yet, you can try one of the other new drinks available as of Jan. 7: the Almondmilk Honey Flat White and the Coconutmilk Latte. Both of these drinks feature Starbucks' Blonde Espresso. The Almondmilk Honey Flat White includes the Starbucks' Honey Blend, steamed Almondmilk, and a dot of foam, while the Coconutmilk Latte contains steamed Coconutmilk and a finish of cascara sugar to give it a light sweetness.

If you're bummed that your Starbucks doesn't have oat milk yet, you'll have to tide yourself over with other non-dairy based sips.

Editor's Note: This article was updated on Jan. 10 to reflect the correct year Starbucks began offering soy milk.