Spring is on the precipice of our calendars. And, like clockwork, Starbucks has released its drink menu for the season. Compared to last year, the 2025 spring drink lineup is a yawn. Your favourite Seattle-born coffee conglomerate has repeated 2024’s lavender drink lineup, bringing shades of purple and whispers of chemical additives. From the Iced Lavender Latte to the Lavender Crème Frappuccino, these drinks promise the taste of spring in every sip. But what exactly is in that cup? If the idea of chemically engineered flavours and additives doesn’t scream “fresh start,” maybe it’s time to rethink your Starbucks lavender drink purchases.
What’s Really in Your Starbucks Lavender Drink?
Real lavender comes from the ground. Starbucks lavender comes from a lab. When you taste the real thing, it’s fragrant, delicately floral and subtle. Unfortunately, Starbucks’ use of lavender is so far removed from the final product that you’re not able to get the full grasp of what lavender really tastes like. It’s common for big brands to not use the real ingredients that create the flavours in our food and beverages. This is mainly because large franchises need to create consistency in their recipes. The latte you have in Vancouver should taste the same as the one in Kelowna. To achieve this, companies rely heavily on artificial flavours and syrups made in a lab. That means when you sip a Starbucks lavender drink, you’re likely tasting chemicals designed to mimic lavender rather than the real thing.
Artificial flavours aim to trick your taste buds without delivering the true benefits of the flower. Starbucks’ proprietary lavender flavouring might taste floral, but it lacks authenticity. Worse, it can include preservatives, dyes, and stabilizers that do nothing good for your body.
A Better Way to Enjoy Lavender
Spring is about fresh starts, and that should include your drinks. You want a latte with lavender grown free of pesticides, harvested with care, and turned into a syrup with nothing but real ingredients. That’s what small, family-run farms do – like us. Instead of mass-produced syrups filled with mystery ingredients, we focus on pure, culinary-grade lavender. The kind you can actually taste, smell, and trust.
Making lavender drinks at home is a lot easier than you think. A simple syrup made with real lavender flowers, sugar, and water creates the same rich floral notes without the chemicals. Add it to coffee, tea, or matcha, and you have a homemade alternative to any Starbucks lavender drink.
Why Real Lavender Matters
Not all lavender is the same. Some varieties are grown for fragrance, not food, and are treated with pesticides and additives. Culinary-grade lavender is different. It’s grown specifically for consumption, ensuring that what ends up in your cup is as pure as nature intended. That means no hidden chemicals and no artificial flavours. Just the flower itself.
On our lavender farm, we focus on sustainability and quality over mass production. We know that real lavender has a delicate, slightly sweet taste that doesn’t need chemical enhancement. Our crops are tended by hand, free from harmful sprays, and harvested just before peak bloom for the best flavour.
An At-Home Starbucks Lavender Drink is Wallet-Approved
A Starbucks lavender drink might seem like a small indulgence, but at five to seven dollars per cup, the costs add up fast. Compare that to a homemade version, where a single bottle of MKL lavender syrup can last for weeks. The cost per drink drops dramatically, and you get to control exactly what goes in it. For instance, you have full control over the sweetness, what you put your lavender syrup in, and whether you experiment with other flavours. We love to add lavender syrup to lemonades, vanilla ice cream, and in baking.
Welcoming Spring with Simplicity
Spring is a time for renewal. It’s about taking in the fresh air, saying goodbye to the snow, and welcoming new life. A lavender-infused drink should be part of this process.
Get a taste of spring without unnecessary additives. By choosing real lavender, you not only support small farms like ours but also treat yourself to a better, more natural way to enjoy the season. Next time you see a Starbucks lavender drink on the menu, pause for a moment. Consider whether a drink made with synthetic lavender is really the best way to welcome spring. Contact us today about our farm-made lavender simple syrup. Be sure to check out our website for the latest product drops.
