Sixty-nine percent of Coffee-mate users polled in a survey conducted in January by LaLa USA, Dallas, think that liquid Coffee-mate coffee creamer is a dairy product that contains milk or cream from cows. “Our survey shows the confusion that exists among consumers who use artificial non-dairy coffee creamers,” says Randy Gier, chief marketing officer at LaLa. “In fact, before they were asked if they thought their Coffee-mate contains milk or cream from cows, they were asked unaided to list any ingredients they thought were in liquid Coffee-mate, and 44% said milk or cream.”

Based on the number of coffee drinkers who use liquid creamers, LaLa estimates that there are more than 20 million consumers in the United States who use Coffee-mate. “That means nearly 14 million people don’t realize they are putting a laboratory creation made mostly from water, sugar and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in their coffee, not something natural from a cow,” Gier says.

In response, LaLa recently introduced La Crème coffee creamers, the first 100% real dairy, lactose-free, naturally flavored creamers. Sold in 16-ounce plastic bottles, varieties are: Cinnamon Vanilla, French Vanilla, Hazelnut and Original.