Starbucks Is Getting Spicy With Its New Refreshers
Starbucks is heating things up just in time for those warmer spring days with a new line of Spicy Lemonade Refreshers hitting stores on Tuesday, April 16. The beverages are a mixture of sweet and spicy flavors with a slight, lemony tartness. Customers can choose from three options: Spicy Strawberry, Spicy Dragonfruit, and Spicy Pineapple. The lineup also includes a Spicy Cream Cold Foam customization.
The Spicy Strawberry Refresher shakes together ice, lemonade, and the new Spicy Chili Powder Blend with acai and chunks of real strawberry. The Spicy Dragonfruit drink brings a twist to a classic refresher by adding the Spicy Chili Powder Blend to a mixture of mango and dragonfruit along with lemonade and diced dragonfruit pieces. Finally, the Spicy Pineapple Refresher pairs real pineapple pieces with Spicy Chili Powder Blend shaken with ice, lemonade, and pineapple-passionfruit sweetness.
Spicy Chili Powder Blend has also been added to Starbucks' classic cold foam cream to create the chain's latest variation — Spicy Cream Cold Foam. Customers can pair this cold foam with cold brew coffee or a chai tea latte for an extra hint of those sweet and spicy notes.
There's nothing like spicing up classic menu items
The truth is that Starbucks Refreshers have been around since 2012 when the coffee giant launched the innovative idea of combining fruit juice with green coffee extract for natural energy. Over a decade later, Starbucks is still working to transform its classic menu offerings. Since sweet and spicy flavors are known to be an amazing duo, with fruits such as pineapple and mango often being eaten with the chili-lime taste of Tajín seasoning, the coffee chain is seemingly following a popular trend.
The rollout of the Spicy Lemonade Refreshers is part of Starbucks' spring drink lineup and will only be available at U.S. stores while supplies last. This limited-time release is another reason to try these beverages before they're gone. While prices haven't been announced for each new drink yet, they'll likely be similar to the current cost of lemonade refreshers, which is over $5 for a grande.
An exciting part about this spicy option is that customers can create their own Starbucks secret menu Refreshers by incorporating the Spicy Chili Powder Blend in various unique and creative ways. Starbucks is also running a handcrafted drink BOGO on Thursday, April 18 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., which is a great time to try one of these new drinks along with your creation because secret menu items can get expensive, and the free drink can be up to $10 in value.