DY – I know that from the standpoint of the product it is still milchig (assuming they did not change the formula at all, but only the equipment on which it is processed). BUT – I asked a shailah and my rov paskened we could not bake for fleishigs with it, i.e. put it in cookies being served at a Shabbos meal on the same table where there are meat dishes though we COULD serve it immediately after the meal with no waiting time.
The shame is that TJ chocolate chips are superior in taste to the others. I used to use Nestles until they became milchig, then went to Paszkes, Bloom’s, and whatever the Jewish brands are. But when my granddaughter became allergic to nuts, her doctor (a frum guy) advised us that in his vast experience, the Jewish-owned companies were not absolutely honorable in their ingredient listings, and chidlren who were allergic to peanuts or other traces of nuts, were having anaphylactic reactions (one near-fatality) to an item that had no listing of nuts or production in a nut-processing facility in its ingredients. So he believes that it is better not to trust those companies. the kosher, secular companies like Nabisco, have a safer track record. Only issue is dairy versus pareve, as most of their products are dairy. it ain’t easy.
What I don’t get is how these companies cut their noses off by turning away lactose intolerant or allergic customers. That has nothing to do with kashrus, and one would think that would matter to them, if the Oerthodox consumer does not.