Coffee Bean Supply Disruption! Starbucks Suspends Iced Coffee Sales in Some Regions?!

According to a report by the Korea Economic Daily on April 12, the global logistics crisis has caused ongoing delivery delays for Starbucks coffee beans in South Korea. Combined with thin existing bean inventories and instability at logistics centers, more than half of Starbucks stores in South Korea have been unable to serve iced coffee.

With coffee futures prices climbing continuously in recent months and logistics under strain, Starbucks South Korea moved first: at the beginning of January this year it announced a price increase for its Americano. By the end of February, stores were struggling with coffee bean supply, though the situation had normalized again by early March. By late March, however, a small number of stores could no longer serve iced drip coffee, cold brew coffee, or packaged whole beans. As of April 11, more than half of Starbucks stores in South Korea had temporarily suspended sales of iced coffee (both iced drip and cold brew).

Coffee Preferences and Supply Chain Challenges

A Starbucks South Korea representative explained that the iced coffee menu rotates weekly, and its drinks are prepared using cold brew or drip methods with light to medium roast coffee beans. Compared with an Americano built on espresso, these iced coffees offer a more refreshing taste and richer layers of flavor, which is why iced drip and cold brew are particularly popular with South Korean consumers. That said, this is only a comparison between iced Americanos and iced coffee — every other beverage on the menu still depends on espresso. In sheer order volume, espresso beans are needed in far greater quantities than the beans used for iced coffee.

All of the coffee beans and related materials used by Starbucks South Korea must be ordered through the American headquarters. Because of the logistics shortage, the headquarters assigns delivery priority based on order volume, so beans for iced coffee face considerably longer waits than espresso beans. The representative added that, worried about further shipping delays, some of the espresso beans now used by South Korean stores are being flown in by air — which has pushed transportation costs up as well.

Ownership Questions and Supply Chain Structure

The situation has prompted questions from South Korean consumers: since Starbucks South Korea was acquired by E-Mart, why must it still wait on bean shipments from the American headquarters? Couldn't it procure coffee beans on its own?

An industry insider later addressed this, explaining that although E-Mart is the majority owner, Starbucks South Korea's operating model has not changed at all. It still pays roughly 5% in franchise fees to the Starbucks headquarters each year, and store menus and material supplies must remain consistent — which is why beans still have to be ordered from headquarters. The headquarters also profits from those material orders, one of the conditions it set when authorizing the franchise operation.

Company Response

Starbucks later responded: "Each company has different roasting methods, and the roasting and supply order of each bean type will also vary. Currently, the largest shareholder of Starbucks in South Korea is E-Mart, and the second largest shareholder is the Singapore Investment Authority."

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Good cold brew starts with the right beans, and FrontStreet Coffee's roasting lineup has several standouts. The FrontStreet Strawberry Candy Geisha Blend pairs Panama Geisha — famous for classic floral notes and bright fruit acidity — with Costa Rican honey-processed coffee, combining delicate rose and orange notes with grape, dried blueberry, and strawberry-candy sweetness. As a cold brew it is tangy, lively, and aromatic, and with a little fermentation it can even take on a fruit-wine-like character.

If you prefer florals up front, FrontStreet's Natural Hongyali (Strawberry Princess) from Ethiopia is an easy pick. Cold brew amplifies floral and fruity tones while dialing back woody and roasted notes, so a light-to-medium roast shows best — and this naturally processed lot carries magnolia, creamy strawberry, dried mango, guava, and black tea nuances.

For a cold brew with real juice-like body, go for FrontStreet Kenya Cherry Tomato, grown in Thika at 1550–1750 meters from SL28 and SL34 varieties and finished with Kenya's distinctive K72 double-washed fermentation. Cherry tomato, snow pear, black plum, and dried dark plum acidity shine under low-temperature extraction, with low bitterness and a long, clean finish.

Finally, the washed FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Geding from the Geding cooperative is a budget-friendly all-rounder — bright, clean acidity with sweet berry, honey, and layered flavors — equally at home in a pour-over, siphon, French press, or cold brewer.