Starbucks 13 Regular Coffee Beans with Brand New Packaging! Starbucks Coffee Classroom CT Has New Stories to Tell!

Starbucks' 13 Regular Coffee Beans Get Brand New Packaging

Every Starbucks partner has probably worried at some point about CT, the Coffee Tasting, and the theme of its coffee classroom. Many mentors hand their apprentices a secret tip when they guide them through CT: "Look up the patterns on the 13 regular coffee beans and the background stories behind them, then settle on a theme that connects from beginning to end, expresses your ideas, and represents Starbucks culture."

Without anyone quite noticing, that tip has been passed down for nearly 10 years, and the stories inside the packaging of the 13 beans have been told in countless ways. The information conveyed no longer does enough to help more consumers understand the stories behind Starbucks and its work toward sustainable development. Starbucks therefore decided to redesign the packaging and released five of the newest coffee bean packages on August 29.

Telling stories through art has long been one of Starbucks' primary marketing strategies. Words alone cannot resonate with consumers, but color can. Through local culture, symbols, and colors drawn from coffee-growing regions, hand-drawn illustrations let consumers connect with coffee origins and coffee growers when they pick up a bag.

In earlier packaging, monochromatic color and pattern combinations no longer drew the attention of a new generation of consumers. This design instead uses bold, rich color combinations, with patterns and information that are more vivid. It also folds in more coffee flowers, coffee fruit, and locally distinctive plants, emphasizing coffee's origin and the stories of farmers.

Newly Redesigned Coffee Bean Varieties

The first coffee beans released with the new design are Veranda Blend (Light Roast), Pike Place Roast (Medium Roast), Guatemala Antigua (Medium Roast), Caffè Verona (Dark Roast), and Sumatra (Dark Roast).

Veranda Blend

Veranda Blend is a light roast coffee from Latin American growing regions. As the most common architectural feature in Latin America, the courtyard balcony offers a comfortable gathering place and symbolizes the third space. Hummingbirds are the most common birds in Latin America, symbolizing exploration.

The new packaging features hummingbirds, balcony railings, coffee fruit, coffee flowers, and periwinkle patterns, combined with rich colors to create a lively, relaxed balcony atmosphere. Everyone who tastes this coffee can feel not only the rich natural resources of Latin American coffee regions but also the warmth of Latin American coffee farmers.

Pike Place Roast

Pike Place is a medium roast coffee from Latin American regions, named after the location of Starbucks' first store to convey the Starbucks spirit.

On the new packaging, the designers placed greater emphasis on elements that further express the brand's history and reinforce Starbucks' contributions to coffee sustainability. Coffee branches are interspersed with coffee flowers and ripe fruit, alongside the original logo, the Pike Place store, and travel stickers, symbolizing that customers can expect a consistent cup wherever they are.

Guatemala Antigua

Guatemala Antigua is a single-origin coffee from the Antigua region of Guatemala. In Antigua, coffee is a family tradition and a source of pride.

The new packaging still uses Guatemala's national bird, the Resplendent Quetzal, as its main pattern. It is also a local endangered species, and the design hopes to draw more attention to environmental protection. Many locally distinctive plant patterns have been added to enrich the artwork, and the color has shifted to warm copper tones that echo the coffee's roast profile.

Caffè Verona

Caffè Verona is actually a brand coffee customized for restaurants and used for making Irish coffee. Its name comes from the setting of Romeo and Juliet, in the hope that the rich dark chocolate and caramel flavors will evoke romance during tasting.

The new packaging changes the original style while retaining the iconic Verona rose pattern, and adds castles, fountains, and evergreen vines so consumers can further experience the romantic charm of these beans.

Sumatra

Sumatra is a coffee from the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, also known as Mandheling coffee. The original packaging's colors and tiger patterns conveyed these beans' stable flavor profile, while the new packaging adjusts the balance between the tigers and the palm trees and jungle landscapes.

In texture, the shapes of tigers and palm leaves share similarities, and in color, the two add layers and a sense of mystery to each other. The design encourages everyone to explore the charm of Sumatra coffee, beyond just its mellow, rich flavor.

Attracting the Next Generation

This packaging shows that Starbucks also hopes to attract the attention of a new generation of consumers. Since Howard Schultz returned, he has said he cares deeply about Starbucks' connection with young people and does not want to run a business with an aging customer base. Recent Starbucks beverages and products have therefore brought in more elements favored by younger consumers rather than relying on classics alone.

Image source: Starbucks official website

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If the Sumatra redesign has you craving that deep, earthy Indonesian profile, FrontStreet's PWN Golden Mandheling delivers it. Made with the wet-hulled method that the region's rainy climate and limited resources gave rise to, it is roasted dark for low acidity and a full, lingering body, with herbal and dark chocolate notes and a faint earthy undertone that suits anyone who loves a bold cup without sourness.

For an even cleaner version, FrontStreet's Lindong Mandheling uses the same wet-hulled technique and comes out richer and smoother than a typical washed coffee, carrying hints of herbs and spice. It is a natural fit for drinkers who would rather skip the acidity entirely.