Spring launch at Starbucks is here. Starting today (March 4, 2014), customers can try the new Vanilla Macchiato beverage, which has a special new vanilla drizzle on top of it. It’s incredibly flavorful! I tried it and was surprised at how delicious it was! I have heard some baristas describe the flavor as a cake batter-like flavor. You can now order three variations on the macchiato: Caramel, Vanilla, and Hazelnut. Look for signs in the stores promoting the new beverage:
Here’s my drink being made – expertly handcrafted and a perfect beverage:
Also new, there are two seasonal spring Starbucks cards. The floral design one is reminiscent of the previous packaging for Three Region Blend coffee:
There are several new merchandise items, but I think the hot drinkware is the new glass re-usable cold cup. The bottom of this tumbler states that it’s for cold beverages only and it’s not microwave safe:
You should start to see signage inside the stores promising that you’ll love your beverage. If you don’t like your drink, tell your barista why you don’t like your drink, and they will make it right. The signs are labeled “Our Barista Promise”:
And finally, there’s a new egg and cheese breakfast sandwich, available in Starbucks stores carrying La Boulange items. I haven’t tried it yet, so I have no idea how it tastes. Actually, there are several new food items. I might come back and cover this topic again later this month:
What I’ve done is just highlight a few of the fun new things that you’ll see inside Starbucks stores beginning today. I still have a number of spring items to mention, so I’ll come back to the spring launch again.
What grabs your eye? Would you use the glass re-usable cold cup?
Welcome to spring 1 launch at Starbucks!
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These sound great! I wish we got some of these in international markets. I’m looking forward to Tribute Blend though, I’ve nearly exhausted all my Christmas Blend!
I tried the vanilla macchiato a few days ago… so yummy.
@Melody – thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to try one – wondering how different the vanilla tastes; might have to try a combo (vanilla/hazelnut?).
I also can’t wait to get the new gift cards. Did you see the one for Tribute Blend? I am going in the morning to ensure I get all four. I have so many tumblers, but will probably buy the blossom cold cup. Can’t help myself!
Haven’t tried the new macchiato yet, but the barista last night described it to me as tasting like “funfetti”. I saw them unpacking all the new merchandise last night. I can’t wait to see what the store looks like today with all the new items!
In Canada, we don’t have the vanilla macchiato – we get the maple macchiato. It is quite delicious, and our partners and customers are tickled pink to have a Canada-only beverage. It tastes likes pancakes in a cup – I don’t love maple (how un-Canadian of me, hey?) but drinking this takes me right to Saturday mornings when I was a kid 🙂 so I love it!
I also love the glass cold cup – soooo pretty! I’ve convinced myself that purchasing it will mean I drink more water 🙂 🙂
The main thing I want to know: have they changed the existing breakfast sandwiches? I’ve been reading a lot of complaints about the “new turkey bacon sandwich” and yet there is nothing on the website that indicates that this sandwich has changed.
Had the new veggie breakfast sandwich today and it is pretty good. My only concern is that it has to be heated longer than the first one and I had to bring it back. Once it was reheated, it was better. The partner said they were not given the heating instructions for these new sandwiches and admitted that it was cold in the middle. I think they should put out some samples so people can taste the new sandwiches. I also still wish they did not have to add cheese to everything.
I can’t wait to try the vanilla macchiato, I think I’m making a stop after class! Might also grab one of the glasses, those look pretty fab 🙂
Excellent job as always keeping us up on the latest and greatest from our favorite place!
I’ll give the new vanilla macchiato a try but really wish we’d get maple. I’m anxious to go see the new merchandise and cards. So there are 4 new cards, not just the 2 shown here? And one’s a Tribute card?
Purple1 we have to reprogram the ovens whenever we get new pastries or sandwhiches. The promo materials comes with instructions on how to do it. The mamager at my store usually does it. Hopefully the store you went to will fix that : )
We launch the new maple macchiato in Canada today for our spring launch. Its delicious – AND, made with real canadian maple syrup! I’ll try to send some pics.
my beloved ham and cheddar artisan sandwich has been replaced by a ham and swiss croissant sandwich which was gross. boo hooooooooooooo! 🙁 did not see the glass tumbler this am, looking forward to seeing that!
are there 4 new gift cards? All I saw were the two you have pictured above. thank you, Melody, for keeping us in the know! 🙂
Is it too much to ask for both Vanilla and Maple Macchiato here in the states? 😛 The vanilla one sounds yum and I love everything maple. I’m a huge fan of the original caramel macchiato. Might have to stop by Starbucks today.
I wonder if they have any new mini-cards. Like the one they did for valentines day and the pumpkin spiced latte 10-year card.
Janis, the Ham & Swiss breakfast sandwich (on a croissant roll) isn’t replacing the Ham & Cheddar Artisan. Your store should still have both.
The glass cold cup is so pretty! A macchiato would look pretty in it!
Yay! The Vanilla Macchiato is here on a cool day in Hawaii. 🙂
Hi Eric! I just looked on line and saw that my beloved is not discontinued, and then saw your comment, too, yippee! I got wrong info at the store I went to. Now that is actually happy news!! 🙂
Just tired the new macchiato. Could possibly be my new favorite drink! Next time I am going to try it with some cinnamon dolce syrup in it. This new drink is 1000X better than the caramel flan. Someday I hope to get sugar free white mocha sauce so I can get skinny white mochas.
The glass cup is gorgeous and I think I will buy one for my household. My daughter loves the cold drinks and I like the iced teas during summer.
Becky E – there are four new cards posted on the Starbucks site: https://www.starbucks.com/shop/card/starbucks-card
@jo – wow, that tribute card is really cool!! i wish we saw designs like that in stores! i love the tribute artwork this year, and i especially love how the packages of via have different designs on them too. i
so today my store finally received all of the new breakfast sandwiches. the slow roasted ham & swiss on the croissant is delicious. the new veggie has been nicknamed the lasagna sandwich (this is a good thing!) the egg and cheese, meh. it’s nothing exciting really, and finally, the new turkey bacon.
i have been wanting to taste the new turkey bacon due to all of the complaints on the starbucks facebook page. it is smaller, the bread is different, and really dense. the turkey bacon is now like a thinly sliced piece of spam. i was not a fan of the turkey bacon to begin with, but i sampled it to one of my die hard rft customers and she hated it.
overall, i like the new food. the cherry bar is delicious, and the sugar cooke, which is something i usually don’t like, is my new favorite thing (plus it’s adorable)
oops, hit submit too soon…
i am in the seattle area, and we haven’t seen the teavana iced teas yet. i am really curious…. has anyone tried them???!!
So if they’ve changed the turkey bacon sandwich, why aren’t they showing that on the web site? Have they changed any of the other existing sandwiches? I wonder if we’re getting the cherry bar in Chicago.
@carol the turkey bacon is the only one that has changed. The veggie artisan has been replaced with the fontiago cheese one. Everything else is the same. There are so many options now!!!! 🙂
Thanks, Jocelyn! The new sandwiches look good, but they are all pretty high in calories. I’m glad they’re keeping the Bacon Gouda. And I’m still missing the Chicken Sausage Wrap.
Thanks Jo, I see the cards now. Wonder why they don’t put all four the stores? Oh well, should be easy enough to order them online. I tried the new vanilla macchiato yesterday and really like it.
I want to try the new vanilla macchiato, but I really don’t want to pay the extra cost for what is basically an upside down, unstirred, vanilla latte. Hopefully my store will sample it out when I’m there.
I almost tried the new ham & swiss croissant sandwich yesterday, but I didn’t have enough left on my Starbucks card and no extra cash ($4.25 and I’m in California). I got the cinnamon coffee cake instead. It smelled and tasted so good!
I tried the vanilla macchiato yesterday and was not impressed. It was too bland for me and I will stick with my caramel macchiato instead.
I appreciate this post as a welcome to spring. In New Jersey there are still mountains of snow temps in the single digits and limited sun shine so any welcome to Spring is well received and if there is coffee involved, well that is even better
Cheers!
Lori
I was in the test market for the new breakfast sandwiches. Glad to see they are making it out to the whole country. I LOVE the new turkey bacon and the prosciutto(now called the slow roasted ham and Swiss). Also, a HUGE fan of the cherry oat bar! It pairs delightfully with Tribute Blend.
@Diele – I have to agree this is an improvement in breakfast at Starbucks! I have to get a blog article up soon on the new breakfast sandwiches. Just been too busy with work.
Melody, I noticed you were trying the new macchiato hot, found that to be interesting. I must admit I prefer my coffee iced. I only drink hot 2 maybe 3 months out of the year. I will warn you now,, If you liked the frosted snowman cookie then the same will go for the frosted flower cookie. Same flavor and I personally really like them both. I need to visit a location I rarely to never visit for a cold cup that my locations didn’t get very much of and like a fool I stared at it a few days in line and kept telling myself “buy it tomorrow” well, now it’s gone!! I can order online if need be. I do prefer my shopping in the brick and mortar stores though I will admit. Oh yes, do you blog much about Teavana?
I am surprised that I got offers the last two weeks to get 20% off bagged coffee beans but nothing to try the new spring drink or new breakfast sandwiches. I also got a promo to get extra stars when I get a sandwich, but nothing for the new breakfast sandwiches. Are there new sandwiches for the Spring, too?
I got the e-mail about the extra stars, but I also got one about a free coffee with a breakfast sandwich purchased on March 12 – March 14. There was no coupon required.
Tried the new Vanilla Macchiato this week and it was pretty good…I still prefer the Caramel Macchiato and the Hazelnut Macchiato is my least favorite (unless I add additional flavors or substitutions).