From time to time, Starbucks makes executive decisions to discontinue (or recall) certain of their drink lines, and there are a variety of reasons behind these decisions. Recently, some of their Frappuccinos products became unavailable or very hard to find.
This article takes a look at the Starbucks Frappuccinos and which ones you can still purchase, which ones have gone, and what’s behind the decisions to remove certain drinks from the menu.
Is The Starbucks Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino Discontinued?
The Starbucks Strawberry Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage is still right there on Starbucks hand crafted drinks menu! However, it did once used to be a seasonal (summer only) drink, until they agreed to serve it all year round (due to customer demand).
However, the bottled Starbucks strawberries and cream Frappuccino is no longer available, and no amount of customer pressure has so far induced the company to re-introduce it.
Some customers were so distressed (back in 2014) that they started a Facebook Page called We want Starbucks Bottled Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino back, which sadly did not result in a return of the product.
What Kind Of Drinks Are Starbucks Frappuccinos?
The Starbucks Frappuccino is a selection of iced, blended coffee drinks served topped with whipped cream and various flavoured syrups.
The Frappuccino flavour possibilities are endless because you can mix and match nearly every item in the store! However, this means that if supplies run out or shipments are delayed, certain drinks will be temporarily (or permanently) put on hold.
Some of the popular frappuccinos are:
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
- Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino
- Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino
- Matcha Crème Frappuccino
- Strawberry Crème Frappuccino
- Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Crème Frappuccino
Note that the complexity of each of these hand crafted drinks means they rely on a range of ingredients being continually available.
Has Starbucks Almond Milk Frappuccino Been Discontinued?
It is still possible to order almond milk frappuccinos instore at Starbucks, but the bottled supply of Starbucks Almond Milk Frappuccino has (along with many other products) hit some supply issues recently.
Starbucks began selling bottled almond milk Frappuccino in May 2018, adding this one to their list of other bottled Frappuccino flavours through an established partnership with PepsiCo.
Unfortunate, supply issues can also include shipping issues. This means that stock runs out before the new supplies arrive. Confusion also arises because some stores will still be offering a certain drink (using up still available stock), while others are informing customers that the drink is unavailable.
Why Does Starbucks Discontinue Certain Drinks?
Starbucks pride themselves on regularly introducing new and exciting hand crafted drinks. However, this means that if a certain drink is not popular, they will discontinue it in order to make way for new inventions.
These inventions may be contributions from customers, baristas, and fans from anywhere. Starbucks have a customer forum where you can submit your ideas for new hand crafted drinks, and if your ideas receives enough votes, Starbucks will take it to their barista teams. From there, your creation may end up on the menu.
They also introduce seasonal drinks (such as the Santa Claus Frappuccino), which only appear at Christmas time. And the Starbucks stores in different countries also introduce special drinks local to the regions the stores are located in – these drinks are also usually seasonal offerings.
Does Starbucks Bring Back Discontinued Drinks?
Starbucks rarely make concrete announcements regarding when, why, and how long a drink will remain on their menus, and they seldom make an early announcement that a drink will make a definite return.
However, some drinks do return, and other drinks are promoted from a seasonal appearance to long term seating. These changes are usually the result of customer demand.
Supply issues though, cannot always be predicted, especially over the last couple of years. This means that no matter how popular in in demand a drink is, it may be discontinued anyway because Starbucks are continually unable to replenish supplies to make them.
When this happens, the menu item is “paused” until the problem is rectified. But if the supply problem does not ease, then Starbucks have not choice but to discontinue the drink.
This can occur with Starbucks menu items and their product items (such as the bottled frappuccinos).
Sometimes Starbucks items are recalled, and this occurs for completely different reasons. A recall means that something in the product (or the processing of the product) has been identified as unsafe for human consumption.
When this happens, Starbucks has no choice but to remove the product from their menus and shelves.
What Is The Difference Between A Product Recall And A Product Discontinuation?
A product is recalled when a problem has been identified with any one of the ingredients used to make it. The problem is usually hazardous or harmful in nature. A product is discontinued when an interruption occurs during the process of obtaining and making the product and assessing it’s worth to the company.
When a product is recalled, its availability to the public must end, but when a product, such as a hand crafted drink, is discontinued, it will likely return if the problems are only caused by supply and shipping.
However, if the demand for a drink is low, it is unlikely to return to Starbucks menus, and will instead make way for a new creation. This way, Starbucks keep their menus always fresh, surprising and unpredictable.
What Can I Do If My Favorite Starbucks Frappuccino Has Been Discontinued?
This has happened so often to Starbucks drinks fans that they now simply investigate the ingredients of their favourite (lost) beverage and then make it themselves at home.
There are many useful websites dedicated to publishing recipes and instructions on “how to make Starbucks recipes at home”, and which cover just about every item Starbucks offers.
With these recipes, you can alter sugars and syrups to suit your taste (and health) interests, and substitute milks for your preferred brand and type.
Want to learn more about Starbucks? Check out these related posts to learn why is Starbucks so expensive, does Starbucks take $100 dollar bills, and what do the lines on Starbucks cups mean.
Conclusion…
There have been many enquiries lately about the availability of certain Starbucks frappuccino products. Confusion arises because the availability of Starbucks drinks is inconsistent, and the reasons for this varies from drink to drink and from season to season.
Old news posts give information that is outdated, and Starbucks themselves don’t (or are unable to) give accurate information about availability and supply issues, a problem that has only intensified in recent years.
The best way currently to check on the availability of your favourite Starbucks drinks (such as the Almond Milk Frappuccinos and the Strawberry and Crème Frappuccinos) may be to contact your local store directly.