Starbucks is Changing Ice Types! The Reason: Better Taste and Texture

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Recently, a Starbucks barista in the United States posted that the company is testing the use of a new type of ice to make beverages at three U.S. locations.

Some netizens speculated whether this move was to make the ice take up less space, allowing more drink to be added...

Previously, consumers in more and more countries have complained that there is too much ice in Starbucks cold drinks!!! After getting their drinks, they can only take a few sips before it's gone, leaving half a cup of ice, which is very uneconomical.

And as more consumers choose the no water/less ice option, Starbucks stores need to add more ingredients to the drinks, resulting in higher material costs. To address this, Starbucks made a surprising move: charging extra!

In mid-April this year, a netizen in the United States stated on a domestic social media platform that starting from May 9th, all stores would charge an additional fee for Refresher drinks with no water/less ice.

In response to this Starbucks measure, many netizens expressed that it was outrageous, saying that it's already so expensive yet so petty, and this move is really off-putting. Some netizens even asked if they could get a refund for requesting extra ice.

Starbucks' Response and Ice Change

Regarding this change in ice type, Starbucks denied this claim. They stated that changing the ice shape does not mean customers will get less ice, as baristas use the same ice scoop. So why did they suddenly decide to switch to smaller pellet ice?

"Because it tastes better to eat!" Starbucks noted that more and more consumers love to drink iced beverages, with iced drinks accounting for over 75% of beverage sales.

They also noticed that customers who drink iced beverages have a habit of eating the ice, but the original ice cubes were too large and difficult to eat. Therefore, they switched to this type of ice that is more "crunchy" and has smaller pellets.

Public Reaction

American netizens' reactions to Starbucks' decision have been polarized. Netizens who like to eat ice commented: "Yes! This type of ice really tastes super good to eat!!!" "With this ice available! I could eat! more! ice! for! a! whole! day!!!"

Other netizens expressed: "Although this type of ice tastes good, it melts too quickly... on a hot summer day outside, the drink will probably lose its flavor..." Some netizens also expressed that this type of ice might not be suitable for making Frappuccinos, worrying that the texture of Frappuccinos might be changed...

Future Plans

Regarding netizens' concerns, Starbucks has not responded much for now. However, the company chose this type of ice partly because it tastes better to eat, and partly because the new ice machines use less water, making them more environmentally friendly. Therefore, they plan to roll it out to all stores in the coming years.

Image source: Internet

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