Shake Shack Changes Milk Supplier to Neutral Foods

Shake Shack’s hand-spun shakes are getting an upgrade. However, you may not be able to taste a difference — but it’s an important change for both you and the planet. 

In May, Shake Shack shared with Food & Wine via email that it’s partnering with Neutral Foods, the first certified carbon-neutral food company in the U.S., which will now supply its certified Carbon Neutral Whole Milk to more than 90 Shake Shack locations in the U.S. to use for those hand-spun shakes.

“Corey Blumenthal, Shake Shack’s sustainability specialist, discovered Neutral while attending a virtual industry webinar and had an ‘ah-ha’ moment,” Chris Haines, the vice president of sales and operations at Neutral Milk, shared. “With Neutral, Shake Shack could lessen the impact of its fluid dairy supply chain without compromising taste or raising consumer costs.” 

Neutral Foods makes it possible to have a shake that’s healthier for the planet through its partnerships with farmers across the nation to support them in their journey to reduce their carbon emissions. This, the company shared, is through researching feed supplements that can reduce enteric methane emissions to lower carbon electricity when using on-farm equipment like tractors and feed mixers.

“The global agriculture and food system accounts for roughly 22 to 37% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, and dairy production is a significant contributor of methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide to the earth’s atmosphere,” Haines explained. “Neutral is an easy solution for food service providers, like Shake Shack, to continue offering high-quality dairy milk products that taste the same but are better for the environment and lower their Scope 3 emissions.” 

The partnership, which kicked off as a pilot program in 2022, has already helped Shake Shack avoid more than 375 metric tons (MT) of CO2e, which is equivalent to the average gas-powered car driving 873,000 miles. And now, the milk, sourced from farmers in the northeast, will be rolled out widely to Shake Shack locations in New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

So, the big question. Will you taste a difference? According to the two companies, the answer is a resounding no. “Customers will not taste a difference because it isn’t different,” Haines says. “When asked for their feedback, food service providers described the milk as tasting ‘great,’ saying that it ‘pours and froths well’ and that Neutral’s mission aligns with company values about sustainability and quality.” Haines added, “Shake Shack customers haven’t provided any negative feedback. They’re still getting the same quality milkshakes they expect, while Shake Shack can now promote their products’ environmental benefits.”