Wisconsin-based Organic Valley recently expanded its popular organic half-and-half product into a line of five different organic coffee creamer products. Added to the mix: French Vanilla and Hazelnut flavored half-and-half, plus regular and French Vanilla organic soy creamers.
The specifics on these products are encouraging to those leery of chemical-laden coffee enhancers. As per their press release:
“The flavored creamers are made with organic hazelnut and organic, fair trade vanilla, and sweetened with only fair trade unrefined sugar. The organic soy used to blend the new non-dairy creamers is produced from soybeans grown in the Midwest by organic soy farmer- owners of Organic Valley. Coffee lovers can sip confidently knowing that all Organic Valley creamers–dairy and non-dairy–are completely free of artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.”
All fine and dandy, but flavor’s the thing. In theory, the lack of chemicals should make for a more pure, subtle, and enjoyable coffee creamer experience. Here’s the practice:
Organic Half-and-Half
There’s no stickiness or artificiality to this — it’s just classic, straight-down-the-middle old-fashioned half-and-half.
Organic Hazelnut Half-and-Half (Ultra-Pasteurized)
Possibly the finest hazelnut-flavored coffee experience I’ve had, for two reasons: first, it’s not particularly sweet. Second, although the hazelnut flavor that the half-and-half imparts is perceptible, it’s not overly strong — it’s subtle to the point where it seems possible that the coffee itself was a bit hazelnut flavored, and nothing more. “Subtle” + “flavored coffee” = tolerable (or even enjoyable) flavored coffee.
Organic French Vanilla Half-and-Half
See above — this is well-balanced in terms of sweetness (not too sweet) and flavor (pronounced but not aggressive.) Subtle but distinct, and lacking any unpleasant chemical or artificial notes that often distinguish flavored creamers.
Organic Soy Creamer
The only certified organic soy creamer on the market, which is nice. From a flavor perspective: A bit nutty and hollow tasting, but not a coffee atrocity. Still, black coffee would be preferable. On the plus side, in contrast to soy milk, this doesn’t split when it hits hot coffee.
Organic French Vanilla Soy Creamer
The flavor really helps this soy creamer. It’s a bit sweet (sweeter, for example, than the regular French Vanilla half-and-half), but not overwhelmingly so, and the flavor and sweetness helps fill in the soy void.
Available locally at a variety of different grocery stores, these creamers are typically sold for $2.99 for a 16 oz. container.
Sponsored post? We got that press release too.
Nope, when it’s sponsored, we note it. I thought it was interesting to try a variety of new coffee creamers from a local (if large) producer. Take it or leave it.
Of course!
I’m a big fan of drinking chicory coffee with a healthy dose of soy milk as a creamer. It gives it a nutty, chocolatey flavor. I’ll have to try it with the new soy creamer. I hope it’s available at the Seward Coop.
This sure seems like a sponsored article to me. No other companies are showcased here.
I am curious which press release Nichole is referring to. Did you receive a press release from them? That would seem to fall under “transparency”, as, I would add, not blocking critics from posting on your Facebook page.
*as would
Everybody: Here’s the story. Organic Valley sent us some creamers. We reviewed them, which is not unusual — we’ve reviewed lots of products as one offs, and will continue to do so. I’m happy to have our detractors take shots at our integrity, but if you’re going to do so without basis, you can do that on your own blogs or Facebook pages.