Just when everyone thought summer was over, and people had begun patiently waiting over the imminent return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Starbucks countered the fall mania with two new Frappuccino flavors. Basically, the coffee company has declared that summer isn't over just yet.
Starbucks is launching limited-time-only Strawberry Shortcake and Blackberries & Crème Frappuccinos, both of which are available starting today. The chain has dubbed these flavors the 'Last Sip of Summer.'
The Strawberry Shortcake Blended Creme Frappuccino features strawberries, strawberry juice, vanilla bean, hazelnut syrup, milk, and ice, which is then topped with whipped cream. The Blackberries & Creme Frappuccino is a blend of blackberries, vanilla bean, milk, and ice, with whipped cream and cinnamon dolce topping. They will be able to order through September 7 at participating locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte lovers will have to wait longer this year to get their first sip of the popular drink.
That's because this year, the 'PSL' will be released nationwide September 8, with early access coming September 4 for some customers, according to staff at multiple locations throughout the country.
Since its debut, Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte has achieved an almost cult-like following and inspired several other restaurants to expand their pumpkin offerings. During its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings call, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said the PSL, which has traditionally been a traffic driver for the chain, "did very well for the season."
Earlier this week, Starbucks announced a couple tweaks to the seasonal latte, including the addition of real pumpkin and the removal of caramel coloring, a controversial additive.
It’s a big change for Starbucks, but the revised Pumpkin Spice Latte makes a lot of sense. The chain was getting more and more criticism for not having real pumpkin in the popular drink, and considering the way PSL blew up last year, the time was right to reformulate.
