Jamba Juice Says It Doesn't Sell Milk-Filled "Non-Dairy Blend"
In response to our post, Jamba Juice PR today tells The Consumerist they don’t sell a “non-dairy blend,” and their non-dairy options don’t contain milk.
Two days ago we asked Jamba Juice via web form for the ingredients in the “non-dairy mix.” They said one of the ingredients was Grade A Nonfat Dried Milk.
Yesterday, reader Delorean called Jamba Juice customer service and asked whether their “non-dairy mix” contained milk. Jamba Juice told him yes. But then today he called and Jamba Juice told him they don’t sell a non-dairy mix.
Likewise, today, Jamba Juice PR rep Kara Burke writes The Consumerist,
….Jamba Juice does not have a “non-dairy blend.” This is something that does not exist as part of our product offering and never has. The ingredients that Customer Service provided you with refer to Jamba’s “lower calorie dairy base.”
Apparently, two different JJ customer service reps equated “non-dairy mix” with their “lower calorie dairy base.” Indeed, the ingredients we were cited sound congruent with those mentioned here. Maybe they got confused because “lower calorie dairy base” is listed on the same page as “non-dairy dairy” in the Jamba Juice handbook, as in the above pic of the nutritional guide available in JJ stores.
Though, Delorean swears he saw juice marked as non-dairy, but without pictures, who can tell.
In any event, Burke says, “Jamba will be changing all its nutritional guides to include full listing if ingredients by fall 2007.”
JAMBA JUICE: Thank you for calling Jamba Juice, how may I help you?
DELOREAN: Yes, I was wondering about the ingredients in your Jamba Juice products.
JAMBA JUICE: Ok, let me transfer you to customer service.
(very short hold time)
BARBARA: Hello, my name is Barbara thank you for calling Jamba Juice. How may I help you today?
DELOREAN: Yes, I had a question about some of the ingredients in one of your products.
BARBARA: Yes, and what kind of questions did you have?
DELOREAN: You see, I was at the store yesterday, and my friend saw some “Jamba Juice, Non-dairy blend.” When he found out I drank Jamba Juice, he was interested, but asked me to make sure there was NO dairy products of any kind in it. When I called yesterday, a service rep told me that there was milk in your non-dairy blend; I was a little concerned about that, especially for my friend, so I was calling to clear that up.
BARBARA: Yes sir, we are aware that there have been some postings floating around the internet about the presence of milk in our products, such as on blogs, and various websites. We don’t know who posted them, but there is no milk in the product.
DELOREAN: But I didn’t read that on a website. That’s what a Jamba Juice rep told me yesterday on the phone. She told me that there was milk in your non-dairy blend Jamba Juice.
BARBARA: Well, we don’t actually have a “non-dairy blend,” what we have is a type of juice that contains some soy products, a Sorbet blend, and a blend with soy products in it. I can pull up the ingredients for those products for you, sir.
DELOREAN: Ok, what are the ingredients for the Sorbet blend, and the Soymilk blend?
(she proceeds to read the ingredients, which don’t contain milk.)
DELOREAN: Uh-huh. But, that’s what the rep told me yesterday.
BARBARA: Well sir, we do not have a “non-dairy” blend, sir.
DELOREAN: That’s weird though, cause I didn’t see the Sorbet or Soymilk blend in the store yesterday; there was just a bunch of Explicitly-marked Non-Dairy blend Jamba Juice. What does that mean? Is there some type of counterfeit Jamba Juice out there? I’m really concerned about this.
BARBARA: Well sir, I don’t know what else to say about this. There is no counterfeit Jamba Juice, however, sir. Did you have anymore questions today, sir?
DELOREAN: No, but are you sure there’s no bootleg Jamba Juice out there, who stole your recipe to make a profit?
BARBARA: (laughing) No, sir, there is no counterfeit Jamba Juice.
DELOREAN: Alright, thank you.
BARBARA: Thank you for calling Jamba Juice, sir.
— BEN POPKEN
PREVIOUSLY: Jamba Juice’s “Non-Dairy Blend” Secret Ingredient? Milk.
(Photo: gruntzooki)
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