Starbucks scraps straws

How Starbucks came up with an alternative to single-use straws

Nitrogen-infused drinks led to an environmental epiphany.

When Starbucks began developing a new nitrogen-infused coldbrew coffee back in 2016, it realized it had a problem. The allure of the drink was its creamy, frothy top (much like that of a Guinness), but the traditional way of consuming cold coffee—through a straw— starts at the bottom. To showcase its Nitro Cold Brew, the company had to create an entirely new lid: a strawless design that resembles something like an adult sippy cup.

Shortly into the development process, Starbucks discovered that it wasn’t just coming up with a solution for its nitro drinks. Today, that somewhat dorky lid is helping the coffee juggernaut eliminate plastic straws across its nearly 30,000 global outposts. Beginning in 2020, all cold drinks at Starbucks will be served with either the new lids or (in the case of thicker, blended beverages) paper or compostable straws.

That puts Starbucks out in front of a wave of ordinances that are sweeping across the country—and world—aimed at eliminating the single-use plastic straw. Too small to be recycled, most straws end up in landfills and clogging waterways; according to the Ocean Conservancy, they’re among the most frequently found items in beach cleanups. In July, Seattle became the first major U.S. city to fully ban plastic straws. New York City and California are mulling their own bans. The European Commission is considering one. And the U.K. is preparing to phase out straws as well.

With Starbucks responsible for using an estimated 2 billion plastic straws annually, according to the nonprofit As You Sow, the company’s commitment to finding a way to eliminate them entirely sends a strong signal to other businesses. Just as important: It encourages customers to consider the impact of their daily choices. “[We] look to make decisions that have a positive effect in the industry, which other companies can leverage,” says Colleen Chapman, vice president of global social impact at Starbucks. In other words, this could be the lid that broke the straw’s back.