Silk Soy Milk: Vegan or Not?
While listening to Farm Sanctuary President Gene Baur speak on his book tour, I learned something new about soy milk: Silk brand is the brain child of the dairy industry.
One day, Mr. Dairy Farmer said to himself … “hmm … people seem to be paying money for this soy milk stuff. I like to make money, so maybe I should make soy milk! I am so smart.”
Gene uses this story to prove that companies and farmers would not be hurt or offended if the entire world went vegan. They are not passionate about their products, per se, as much as they are about making money. Business folk will go where the money is - be it what they’ve always made or a new veganized version.
I love this theory and example, but I have never been a fan of Silk in particular. It was never my fave tasting soy milk, and it was by no means the most affordable brand.
Now I have new reasons to be anti-Silk: 1. Their products may contain milk and whey ingredients, and 2. These items are not always listed on the label.
The Stop & Shop convenient store chain in New Jersey just announced a voluntary recall of Silk’s single serving chocolate milk bottles because the company became aware that these drinks contained milk ingredients that were not provided on the label. (Read the recall press release).
What!? Labels are a vegan’s number one reading material … and now you are telling me that they might be wrong?!
I went to Silk’s Web site, and although each product has an adjacent link boasting “see nutritional information and ingredients,” none of them actually contain an ingredient list. None. Not one Silk product’s ingredients are provided online.
I contacted the company regarding this … let’s see what happens.
SIDE NOTE: The painting shown here is by Utah artist Natasha Lloyd. She is a molecular and cell biologist that paints, creates jewelry, works with glass, and follows many more creative ventures. Check her out - and her gorgeous animal and such paintings - on her homepage.
April 25th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Wow. Very interesting. I personally drink regular milk (organic) and soy milk of varying brands. I’m shocked and concerned about the potential of milk products in soy milk because, don’t milk-allergy folks drink soy milk ??? I hope you post more about this issue when you hear back from the company. Thanks for the good consumer watching there!
April 27th, 2008 at 4:25 am
Silk the brainchild of the dairy industry? Are you sure about that? I remember reading about the sale of White Wave to Dean Foods, and prior to that White Wave was a growing company that began with the owner selling homemade tofu out of buckets by the beach.
April 28th, 2008 at 8:53 am
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