One of the best places to hang out in the city during the summer is your local Starbucks store. The place is airconditioned, there are cozy nooks where you can read, watch your favorite movies or TV shows, or just catch up with friends. And of course, there’s the extensive menu of Frappuccinos, which can cool even the warmest of days. This summer, Starbucks Philippines is making the summer more bearable with an exciting lineup of products, and I have all the information for you!
Frappuccinos
This summer, Starbucks is releasing two special drinks for the season: the Pop’zel Coffee Frappuccino and the Roasted Marshmallow S’mores Frappuccino!
The Pop’zel Coffee Frappuccino is a throwback to our two childhood favorites: popcorn and pretzels, mixed with the classic Coffee Frappuccino. It comes with popcorn and pretzel syrup, mixed with real caramel popcorn and salted pretzel over whipped cream. It’s a refreshing drink that cleverly combines sweet and savory flavors. It’s also quite interesting because it has popcorn and pretzels for you to munch on!
The Roasted Marshmallow S’mores Frappuccino is a returning flavor, and I’m glad it’s back because it’s one of my favorite Starbucks drinks. The marshmallow whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and graham crumble at the bottom is a joy to drink because of its generous portions, and it’s topped with more whipped cream and graham crumble at the top.
Both drinks are available in Tall (P175), Grande (P190), and Venti (P205).
Coffee
Those who want a simple yet flavorful cup of joe will enjoy the new line of Starbucks coffee. The new Starbucks Kati Kati Blend (P445) has flavors of lemon, grapefruit, orange, and dark chocolate from Kenya and Ethiopia. Starbucks Reserve stores will also carry the Starbucks Reserve Nicaragua La Roca (sweet cookies, cakes, orange zest, and milk chocolate) and Starbucks Reserve Costa Rica West Valley Yellow Honey (green apples and baklava) for those with refined tastes. Both Reserve coffees are available for P495.
As for me, I’ve already stocked up on the Starbucks VIA Iced Coffee (P295), a ready-made drink with notes of citrus and caramel. It’s lightly sweetened with cane sugar so it can be prepared wherever you are (hot water not needed). The drink is the best way to kickstart the day, because let’s face it, adulting means working during the summer.
Food
Of course, a visit to Starbucks wouldn’t be complete without sampling the food. This summer, the brand launched a lineup of delectable eats for those looking for something new.
For something savory, there’s the Roast Beef Deli on Ciabatta Bread (P165), a symphony of different flavors that may sound incongruent but actually works. The tender rosemary ciabatta lovingly wraps the slices of roast beef, button mushrooms, pickles, and horseradish spread. My favorite part is the ample serving of pickles. I’m a big fan of it.
Those with a sweet tooth can try the Banana Chocolate Danish (P95), a flaky pastry abundantly filled with chocolate and banana, and topped with slivers of almond. For something light, there’s the 65% Dark Chocolate (P70), a single-origin chocolate bar with a fruity profile, sourced from the award-winning Malagos Chocolate from Davao (a favorite of mine).
There are also new additions to the yummy mix of core food items: the Camembert and Mascarpone Blueberry Cheesecake (P165), an intriguing remix of a classic cake, along with the Camembert and Mascarpone Cheesecake (P165). The flavor profile is playful because of its contrasting flavors, and is a great alternative when you’re in the mood for a blueberry cheesecake upgrade. There’s also the decadent Caramel Almond Crunch Cake (P160), a layered moist cake with light caramel mousse, almond crunch, caramel fudge, dark and white chocolate, and almonds.
The highlight of attending the Starbucks summer collection launch was meeting the person who creates all the food items! I told her all my favorites (the Tuna Wasabi Turnover and the Dark Chocolate Macadamia Cookie, among many, many others) and picked her brain on how she develops new items and deal with negative feedback. I felt like I met a celebrity!
Cards
Starbucks is also releasing summer-themed cards. There’s the tropical Starbucks Frappuccino die-cut cards in new colorways (available for an initial activation fee of P1,000) and the Stay Cool card (available for an initial activation fee of P300).
Promo
For Earth Day, customers can buy a Starbucks Night Sky Reusable Cup for P100 on April 21 and 22 with every purchase of a Grande handcrafted beverage. Customers can also get a 10% discount on any merchandise with every purchase of a Grande handcrafted beverage.
All items will be available for a limited only starting April 18. For more news about Starbucks, visit their website or check out their Facebook page.