What Brand Of Chocolate Milk Does Dutch Bros Use?

Of one thing, Dutch Bros fans are certain: The chocolate milk at the Oregon-based drive-thru coffee chain is creamy, sweet, and undeniably delicious. It's a staple ingredient in plenty of the brand's signature beverages, from Caramelizers to Cocomos, and it's probably in a few secret menu items, too. But how does the chain source this dairy delight? Online speculation points to chocolate milk from brands like Borden, known for its rich taste and creamy consistency. According to a Reddit comment from a Broista, however (Broistas are Dutch Bros' baristas, if you're not in the know), it's an inside job. "[W]e use our own brand," they wrote in a thread about the ingredient.

As an avid Dutch Bros drinker, I wanted to verify this for myself. I swung by my nearest location in Arcata, California to ask where the chain sources its chocolate milk. The Broista's answer? "Dutch."

They explained that corporate sends them prepackaged half-gallons of the stuff — they were even kind enough to show me the windmill-branded carton as proof. While they weren't privy to any recipe secrets, they did mention that the beverage contains corn starch, a thickener likely responsible for that satisfying creaminess. Other ingredients listed on the carton included whole milk (of course), liquid sugar, cocoa, dextrose, salt, and carrageenan, another thickener made from red seaweed.

The original poster of the Reddit thread inquiring after Dutch Bros' chocolate milk asked if they could purchase a half-gallon directly from the chain. Unfortunately, the Broista who confirmed the beverage's in-house origins also had to be the bearer (Bro-er?) of bad news: "[I know] my manager would flip if we did that so i'd ask [your] local shop." If you're uncomfortable making such a request, try ordering a large, 32-ounce cup of chocolate milk instead — or a 44-ounce extra-large if that's your style.

While my Dutch Bros sources its chocolate milk from a corporate distributor in Grants Pass, Oregon (the chain's hometown), stores located farther away from this hub may do things differently. Other Broistas in the Reddit thread reported using store-bought brands like the aforementioned Borden. Another claimed that "Dutch bros in Oregon uses umpqua dairy and it's technically a special blend made just for the company ... I believe [it] sources [its] milk differently in various states and it's always a special blend of some sort."

Still intent on finding a thick, creamy dupe in stores? Borden sells a Dutch-style carton that, like the proprietary blend used at my local D.B., contains corn starch and carrageenan. Umpqua Dairy's store-bought version includes those same two thickeners, plus corn syrup. (Incidentally, high-fructose corn syrup is one sweetener you'll never find in Dutch Bros coffee.) And no, "Dutch-style" chocolate milk isn't a reference to the coffee chain. The term instead refers to the use of cocoa powder that has been washed with an alkaline solution to combat acidity.