MINNEAPOLIS, U.S. – Caribou Coffee has set a Clean Label standard for its US locations making the coffee company the first national coffeehouse chain to offer beverages made with Clean Label ingredients.
Caribou’s Clean Label Commitment means the company will not add artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, artificial 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’s Clean Label announcement doesn’t come as a surprise given the brand’s history. In 2010, Caribou started using real chocolate chips rather than powdered chocolate which many other coffeehouses currently use.
Caribou was the first national coffeehouse company to offer 100% Rainforest Alliance beans in 2012.
In January of 2016, the brand introduced real caramel sauce and real vanilla syrup, made with only four ingredients: pure cane sugar, water, natural vanilla flavor and Madagascar vanilla beans extract. This focus on real ingredients has been a core component of Caribou’s Clean Label commitment.
“Offering premium great tasting drinks for our guests has long been in our DNA,” says Michele Vig, President of Caribou Coffee. “Through our Clean Label commitment, all Caribou Coffee drinks will be made using only Clean Label ingredients by 2018.”
The Clean Label commitment at Caribou means creating handcrafted beverages without adding:
- Artificial colors
- Artificial flavors
- Artificial preservatives
- Artificial sweeteners
Caribou set its Clean Label standard by creating an “Off-Limit list” of 70+ ingredients which will not be added to its beverages.
Ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial colors, aspartame and many others will not be added into any Caribou Coffee beverage. Guests can see the entire “Off-Limit List” at CaribouCleanDrink.com.
Caribou began working on a specific Clean Label plan in February of 2014. Traditionally hard in the coffee category to clean up ingredients, Caribou and its supply partners have been working diligently to lead the coffee industry with finding better ingredients that deliver a better tasting drink.
Currently 91% of Caribou Coffee’s handcrafted beverages are made with 100% Clean Label ingredients.
The remaining 9% of beverages (those made with chai, sugar-free chocolate syrup, and two toppings) will meet Caribou’s Clean Label standard by the end of 2018 to bring its drink menu to 100% Clean Label.
To learn more, visit CaribouCleanDrink.com for information on Caribou’s commitment to Clean Label ingredients including a breakdown of Clean Label ingredients in Caribou’s handcrafted beverages.
