Change is happening at Starbucks.
The coffee chain has made a big change to its iced coffee, updating the recipe for the first time in 18 years.
The previous iced coffee blend was launched in 2006, and the new recipe update came out on May 7, Starbucks revealed to TODAY.com.
Starbucks Iced Coffee is now made with a blend of “sun-dried and sun-washed” Latin American coffee beans that will deliver an “approachable and refreshing cup of coffee with notes of malted milk chocolate and a sweetness with brown sugar”.
“Designed with versatility in mind, the new iced coffee blend is delicious either on its own or tailored to each customer’s preference,” Starbucks coffee developer Leslie Wolford said in a statement.
The company said nearly two-thirds of its beverage sales as of May 2024 came from cold drinks such as its iced coffee drinks, iced coffee – different from iced coffee, which is brewed hot and more late cold – and icy, espresso shake
It may be a subtle difference, but Starbucks lovers have noticed.
“Is it just me or is iced coffee no better?” asked one person on Reddit. “Am I doing something wrong? I don’t [remember] iced coffee is so bad.”
“You are not doing anything wrong. They changed something with the iced coffee recipe and it doesn’t taste the same anymore,” someone explained in the comments. “Iced coffee used to be my go-to drink, but now I drink iced because iced coffee tastes like coffee-flavored water.”
Some Reddit users also noted that most stores have gotten a new manufacturer, which may contribute to the change in taste.
“The difference is the Vertica brewer that every shop is getting now – it’s a really common complaint that the coffee they brew doesn’t taste strong and/or has grounds in it sometimes,” someone explained.
“The ‘iced coffee’ setting produces half of what we were all used to with the old machine. The training for the new machine didn’t pick up on this trivial little detail. If they don’t pay attention and pour the same amount ice they’ve always made, you’ll get a cup of water with a light coffee flavor,” said another visible employee.
In another update, Starbucks iced coffee is now served unsweetened as standard – as opposed to including pumps of the classic syrup as standard.
Most customers chose less or no syrup when ordering iced coffee, so not giving it at first is sure to change people’s orders.
An employee at an Albertson’s Starbucks asked on Reddit, “Hey, did they change the iced coffee?” sharing that many regulars at their location noticed a difference in taste.
“The blend changed during the Summer 1 launch and is no longer served standard with the classic syrup,” someone said in the comments.
“No longer served with classic syrup as default is good, but the new mix is kind of disgusting,” said another.
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Image Source : nypost.com