Starbucks is purging its menu of nine Frappuccinos: Here’s why that’s a bad ideaStarbucks is purging its menu of nine Frappuccinos: Here’s why that’s a bad idea

Starbucks has announced a list of menu items that will be discontinued on March 4 as part of its previously announced 30% menu reduction, which will be completed by September (the end of Starbucks’ fiscal year). The beverages being removed from the Starbucks menu are “not commonly purchased, can be complex to make, or are similar to other beverages on the menu,” a company spokesperson said.

These soon-to-be discontinued menu items include:

While many of these beverages are not the most popular items Starbucks has ever come out with — I did not even know the company had a Royal English Breakfast Latte, and don’t know anyone who prefers the White Hot Chocolate — culling nine Frappuccinos from the Starbucks menu is a decision that raises some eyebrows, and many fans are expressing their disappointment on social media. 

Starbucks confirmed the decision to get rid of these Frappuccinos was rooted in its “getting back to coffee” strategy.

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“We’re focusing on premium beverages rooted in customer trends and preferences,” a Starbucks spokesperson said, pointing out the latest beverage the coffee chain added to the menu last month, the Cortado.

Even though the decision is understandable in light of CEO Brian Niccol’s shakeup at the company and promise to return to its coffee roots, moving away from Frappuccinos has the potential to alienate a specific demographic of Starbucks customers: young people.

For many teenagers, the Starbucks Frappuccino is the “gateway drink” to the rest of the more adult menu. Young customers who are not quite used to the bitter taste of coffee but still want to feel “cool” by going to Starbucks with their friends might order the Java Chip Frappuccino or the coffee-free Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino. Then, in a few years, they might graduate to a vanilla latte or iced caffe mocha for their regular drink.

With the removal of these nine Frappuccinos, Starbucks will have whittled its non-seasonal Frappuccino menu down by about 43%, from 21 to 12 Frappuccino options, according to the Starbucks mobile app.

Frappuccinos are not only an iconic Starbucks invention, but they are also still traffic drivers for the brand. According to Technomic data, Starbucks’ seasonal Frappuccinos, the Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Frappuccino and Peppermint Mocha Crème Frappuccino, had above-average draw and purchase intent from customers in December 2023. There has been no word yet on if Starbucks will pull back on seasonal Frappuccino offerings.

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With this new direction, Starbucks is making a choice to refocus its brand and harken back to its days as primarily a coffeehouse. While this will appeal to coffee purists, many Starbucks customers of all ages come to the chain for its lineup of unique sweet, blended, and iced beverages. For example, the Cortado is Starbucks’ first core espresso beverage added to the menu in a decade, but it is only available as a hot drink of three ristretto espresso shots. However, Starbucks has said that 75% of its drinks sales are cold beverages. 

As Niccol begins to take Starbucks in the direction of a more refined and classic coffeehouse, the CEO should be careful that he is not pushing away potential customers who just want to order something cold, blended, and sweet.

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