Over the last few months, Starbucks has struggled with continuous sales declines and slower store traffic, as dissatisfied customers have opted to get their morning "cup of Joe" at rival coffee shops instead.
"This is back to the core of what makes Starbucks a unique experience."
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Since starting as Starbucks' new CEO, Brian Niccol has repeated this quote to state his plan to reverse the company's declining sales by returning to Starbucks' roots and personalizing the coffee shop experience.
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Late last year, Niccol announced his plan to reduce the Starbucks menu by 30% to focus more on its coffee as part of the company's turnaround plan.
Loyal Starbucks fans were shocked upon hearing the news, with some fearing that their beloved menu items could potentially be on the chopping block.
How the Starbucks Frappuccinos became a popular menu item
Starbucks (SBUX) introduced the Frappuccino in the U.S. in 1995, launching the classic Coffee and Mocha flavors. Since then, the company has come out with new and seasonal flavors and developed thousands of different combinations.
According to QSR, cold beverages are Starbucks' most popular beverage type, comprising 75% of the company's domestic sales in 2023.
The Frappuccinos and Starbucks' highly-customizable menu has really resonated with customers, especially Gen Z and younger.
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Starbucks offers so many customizations that its customers have taken advantage of this perk by creating extremely personalized drink orders and secret menu beverages that have gone viral on multiple social media platforms.
Although highly customized beverages tend to be more costly, the extra additions tend to slow down orders, which is a factor that doesn't follow Starbucks' new goals.
Starbucks announces the removal of multiple beloved beverages
This week, Starbucks announced another major menu change, this time removing a fan favorite after nearly three decades since its first introduction. This marks the end of an era as the company did not comment on its potential return in the future.
The coffee giant is discontinuing nine beloved Frappuccinos from both the coffee-based and crème categories, including the Espresso Frappuccino, Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino, Java Chip Frappuccino, and White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino from its coffee-based offerings, and the Chai Crème Frappuccino, Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino, Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino, Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino, and White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino from its crème-based offerings.
Removing these nine Frappuccinos will nearly halve the available options, bringing them down from 21 to 12. However, their discontinuation would comply with Starbucks' efficiency goals.
Frappuccinos are among the hardest drinks to craft because they take more steps than any other handcrafted beverage on the menu. They all require blending, and many contain extra toppings and multiple syrups.
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In addition to the Frappuccinos, Starbucks will also remove the Iced Matcha Lemonade, White Hot Chocolate, Royal English Breakfast Latte, and Honey Almond Milk Flat White from the menu.
Beginning March 4, these beverages will no longer be available to order in-store or via the Starbucks mobile app.
"By simplifying our menu, we’re helping to create a more intentional, thoughtful experience for our customers — one where every drink is handcrafted with precision and care," stated the company in the announcement.
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