Starbucks have certainly had to recall or discontinue menu items before now, however, there is a difference between products that are “recalled” and items that are “discontinued”. The reasons behind each of these issues are also different.
This article takes a look at some recent Starbucks item discontinuations, what it means, and why it happens.
Was The Starbucks Kiwi Refresher Recalled?
The Starbucks Kiwi Refresher wasn’t recalled but was discontinued. It wasn’t a popular drink among Starbucks clientele and was removed from the menu along with the Berry Hibiscus Refresher.
To learn more about Starbucks drinks that have been discontinued or recalled, keep reading…
What Is The Difference Between A Recall And A Discontinuation Of A Product?
Menu items are recalled when for some reason they have been identified as harmful for public consumption.
Reasons for this can obviously vary, but the recall my apply temporarily (to a certain “batch” or order of something) or permanently (so that the item will not appear for public consumption or usage again).
Items are usually discontinued because of supply and/or shipping reasons. However, another reason may be that the demand for a particular item (a drink, for example) is too low to be worth continuing with it.
What are the reasons for the discontinued Starbucks drinks?
In the past, Starbucks have justified discontinued drink options in a variety of ways.
- Sometimes supplies just run out! This will happen over a very hot summer when the demand for certain drinks is very high.
- Supplies are damaged! This can occur before or at harvest time, during storage and during transit.
- Shipping issues! This has been a recent troubling issue for many businesses, not just Starbucks.
- The demand wasn’t there! Sometimes Starbucks come up with a new and quirky drink that just doesn’t take off. Customers will try it once (because it’s new) but won’t return for it again.
- It’s time to move on! Part of the Starbucks attraction is their unusual and experimental drink combinations. Keeping customers on their toes is part of their sales technique, and they know that many people will try something simply because it is new.
Which Starbucks Drinks Have Been Discontinued?
There’s actually quite a list of discontinued Starbucks drinks, and their Kiwi Refresher and the Very Berry Hibiscus are only two of these.
The discontinuation of these two particular Starbucks favourites (and the Peach Green Tea Lemonade) caused a great deal of distress recently, and fans took to Twitter to express their disappointment.
Starbucks responded that they were “pausing” these options in favour of other more popular drink varieties. They call these “higher demand offerings” and they call less popular choices “ongoing inventory constraints”.
This means that while some locations still did sell the Kiwi Refresher and the Very Berry Hibiscus, it was only until their stocks ran out.
Nobody really knows when this “pause” will end, but the company assured fans that the break is only temporary.
What’s The Most Recent Drink To Be Discontinued At Starbucks?
More recently, Starbucks decided to discontinue their Eggnog Latte, a popular staple that first appeared in 1986, and which customers look forward to as part of their regular Christmas festivities.
Fans were not too happy about it; the Eggnog Latte had been traditional.
However, Starbucks assured customers that they could “customize” an existing drink or even try an alternative.
The trouble is though, that because Starbucks is so precisely an experimental and novelty beverage house, once we find a favourite, we can’t duplicate or replace it!
Anyway, Starbucks representatives assured anxious fans that they have moved on toward more interesting and even more novel drinks such as the Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte (dairy free), and the Caramel Brulee Latte, the Chestnut Praline Latte, all of which represent Christmas in some way.
Why Was The Starbucks Kiwi Refresher And The Berry Hibiscus Discontinued?
The short story behind the disappearance of both of these summer refreshers was one of popularity issues.
However, it was also cited that Starbucks was experiencing supply issues for the ingredients for the drinks, and this can also indicate shipping problems.
Regardless of why they left, Starbucks did assure fans that the disappearance was only temporary, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
What Are Some Other Starbucks Drinks That Were Discontinued?
Starbucks has introduced a number of zany drinks over the years, some of which may not even be remembered by now.
Some of the more fleeing menu offers were:
- The Strawberry Shortcake Frappuccino – sweet, pink, and cold
- Mazagran – a kind of bottled fizzy coffee
- The Unicorn Frappuccino – a very purple and pink and purple and pink cold drink
- Tazo Tea Infusions – black chai tea fruit juice infusions
- Zombie Frappuccino – a red, pink, and green Halloween drink
- The Chile Mocha – a traditional mocha with a dusting of spices
- Cherries Jubilee Latte – a mocha blended with cherry syrup, dusted with cocoa powder and a cherry syrup drizzle
- The Chantico – introduced in 2005, Starbucks called the Chantico a “drinkable dessert” and made it with cocoa butter and whole milk.
- Dark Barrel Latte – this startling drink had a Guinness (stout) flavour (but no alcohol) and a clashing relationship with its latte host.
- Apple Crumble Frappuccino – this one was quite popular and its disappearance in 2012 unexplained. A hot apple, caramel, and spice infused late!
Will Starbucks Ever Bring Any Of These Drinks Back?
Unfortunately, no one really knows. Starbucks make statements from time to time and are always careful to avoid definitive news.
However, each year when Starbucks announce their latest holiday season additions, there are usually some old favourites making a return on this list.
Some of the returning drinks this year include:
- The Peppermint Mocha
- The Irish Cream Cold Brew
- The Toasted White Chocolate Mocha
It is common for fans to petition online for the return of best loved Starbucks drinks, and this is certainly one way to let Starbucks know what you hope to find on their next list.
Want to learn more about Starbucks? Check out these posts to learn if Starbucks sells Boba Tea and does Starbucks Chai Tea contain caffeine
Conclusion..
It can come as a bit of a shock when you find out your favourite Starbucks coffee or tea is no longer on offer. There are a range of reasons why this happens and unfortunately, never any real news on the status of discontinued Starbucks drink choices.
All you can do is follow Starbucks news, make a petition and then wait.