We’re tired of Saxbys chargING a tax on
non-dairy milk.

Aren’t you?

end the tax

end the tax

On non-dairy

On non-dairy

WHAT’s the deal, Saxbys?

Saxbys claims a commitment to fight climate change, and to support the health and well-being of the communities it serves. But the company is unfairly charging customers for non-dairy milk that is better for the planet.

And what about the customers who are allergic to dairy or lactose intolerant? Saxbys, did you know this disproportionately impacts communities of color?

Sign below to tell Saxbys to drop the unfair non-dairy milk tax!

Looking for good coffee
and fair pricing?

Skip Saxbys and go to one of these chains instead.

Logos of prominent chains that don't charge

(These chains have dropped the non-dairy tax)

IS

Saxbys Coffee logo

ALL TALK?

  • "I think it’s about the importance of walking the talk.” “Companies—big companies in particular—are really good at talking. You hear the term ‘greenwashing’ sometimes, right? It’s easy to do."

    Nick Bayer, Saxbys CEO, 2021

  • "Anyone can say they’re impactful. All it takes to label yourself as an impactful business is a good copywriter and microphone.”

    Nick Bayer, Saxbys CEO, 2021

  • "We understand that businesses have a big role to play in the fight against climate change and our success at Saxbys is connected to the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve"

    Saxbys Impact Report 2023-2024

  • “The environmental and sustainability side of things is a great area of opportunity for us." "They aren’t as impactful there as they are in other areas.“

    Nick Bayer, CEO, 2021

  • "Inequality is growing." "If businesses don’t change, the inequality is going to get worse. If good businesses don’t step up as force multipliers, we’re going to go backwards."

    Nick Bayer, Saxbys CEO, 2021

  • “We’re good. But we want to be exceptional. We want to break the ceiling."

    Saxbys CEO Nick Bayer on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, 2021

  • "At Saxbys, we also want to limit our environmental footprint."

    Nick Bayer, Saxbys CEO, 2019

  • "Since our cafes are located on college campuses and urban areas, our guest demographic skews younger — and younger people want healthier food options." "We’re not only in favor of the paradigm shift, we want to lead the way."

    Nick Bayer, Saxbys CEO, 2019

why should Saxbys drop the
non-dairy milk tax?

The non-dairy milk surcharge is outdated and unfair. Saxbys is punishing customers for having an ethical or sustainable preference and for their allergies or lactose intolerance.

Is Saxbys just greedy? Beholden to Big Dairy? What’s the deal? Drop the up-charge already!

  • Higher dairy consumption is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease and stroke; prostate, breast, and liver cancer; and overall mortality.

  • For the millions of Americans who are allergic to dairy, the consequences of consuming milk can be severe. They include difficulty breathing or swallowing; drops in blood pressure; rashes, vomiting, and diarrhea; and even death.

  • When ordering coffee at many shops, 50 million lactose-intolerant Americans face a choice: pay up to $1.50 more for non-dairy drinks or take their chances with nausea, diarrhea, bloating, gas, and abdominal pain.

  • U.S. dairy accounts for approximately 2% of total GHG emissions, 5.1% of water use, and 3.7% of U.S. farmland.

“The plant milk surcharge always felt unnecessary and an abnormal business practice.”

- Stumptown VP Jon Perry

“By removing the extra charge for non-dairy milks, we’re embracing all the ways our customers enjoy their Starbucks.”

- Starbucks CEO Brian Nicchols

drop the tax

drop the tax

is the upcharge unjust ?

Charging more for non-dairy milk could be considered discrimination.

Non-dairy milk upcharges disproportionately harm customers of color and those who can’t digest lactose. About 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant, including 80% of Black Americans, 90% of Asian Americans, and 50% of Latino Americans.

In fact, a number of major coffee chains have faced or are currently facing lawsuits alleging their pricing practices are discriminatory.

As someone who is lactose intolerant, I’ve kind of gotten used to paying $0.50-$1.50 extra to have an alternative milk in my lattes. But recently I went to a coffee shop that charged $1.50 for A SPLASH of oat milk, and I’m honestly over the greed.
— tai_chilly, Reddit.com

compared to non-dairy milK, dairy milk requires:

3x more ghgs

10X more LAND

20X more WATER

Take it from these coffee champions

  • Starbucks

    "Alternative milks will be a big part of the solution. The consumer-demand curve is already shifting."

    Starbucks

  • "we estimate dairy to be a leading source of emissions from our cafe operations."

    Blue Bottle Coffee

  • Latte

    "Adding a surcharge for non-dairy milks could make coffee shops less competitive and damage their public image."

    MTPak Coffee

ready to push Saxbys into the
21st century?

Sources

  1. Dehghan, Mahshid, et al. "Dairy Product Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease: Pooled Analysis." European Journal of Preventive Cardiology 30, no. 3 (2023): 219–27.

  2. Ali, Fawzia, and Yoon-Seok Lee. "Milk Proteins and Prostate Cancer." International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention 3, no. 1 (2021).

  3. Loma Linda University Health. "Dairy Milk and Prostate Cancer Risk." May 11, 2022.

  4. Nuffield Department of Population Health. "Dairy Products and Cancer Risk." University of Oxford, September 8, 2022.

  5. Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “Dairy's Environmental Footprint.” July 2022.

  6. Ritchie, Hannah. "Dairy vs. plant-based milk: what are the environmental impacts?." Our World in Data, 2020.