Trick-or-treaters are still unwrapping their Halloween candy, but Starbucks is already moving on to Christmas.
The Seattle-based coffee giant announced the arrival next Thursday of its holiday menu and gift collection at locations nationwide.
Starbucks is keeping the menu lineup and holiday cup design a secret, but fans can get a preview of new themed mugs, tumblers and other drinkware as well as gift cards and festively packaged coffee products.
There’s a sparkly Gemstone Cold Cup dressed in glittering winter white, a Red Studded Cold Cup, a Jade Green Studded Tumbler, a Red Ribbed Tumbler and a Candy Twist Mug with a secular holiday design. In fact, while the drinkware sports holiday colors, none of it has a Christmas motif except for the Color Changing Pearl Hot Cup covered with boughs of holly.
Starbucks' holiday drinkware line sports holiday colors with minimal Christmas designs. | Photo courtesy of Starbucks
On the retail side, the packaging designs also say “winter holiday” without shouting “Christmas.” New on grocery shelves is Vanilla & Chocolate Cold Brew Concentrate, Non-dairy Sugar Cookie Latte Creamer and Peppermint Mocha Flavored Creamer. Returning are Starbucks’ gingerbread and peppermint mocha flavored coffees in K-Cup pods and ground coffee. Bottled ready-to-drink Frappuccino Peppermint Mocha and Peppermint Mocha Iced Espresso are also back in their holiday best, and Starbucks Nespresso for Vertuo Line Holiday Blend will be more widely available.
Secret or not, Instagram influencer and food detective Markie Devo already leaked Starbucks’ holiday menu four weeks ago. Without confirmation from Starbucks, it looks like new beverage items will include Cran-Merry Orange Refresher and a trio of Holiday Foams—Sugar Cookie Cream, Chestnut Praline Cream and Gingerbread Cream. On the food side, a Snowman Cake Pop and Penguin Cookie are making their debut, along with a savory Turkey Sage Danish and a sweet Dark Toffee Bundt.
Perennial favorites are supposedly returning, too, including Chestnut Praline Latte, Peppermint Mocha and Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel Brulee Latte, Salted Pecan Crunch Cold Brew, Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai and Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte. Stay tuned.
Yet the additions will also come with a few subtractions. Starbucks is planning to simplify the menu, concerned that its offerings have grown too complex. Oleato, the olive oil-infused beverage platform, is being eliminated with the new holiday drinks. And other beverages could be on the chopping block, too.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.