While many frequent Starbucks (SBUX) -) for its more traditional flavors and coffees, such as Americanos, Iced Mocha Lattes, and cold brews, others prefer to branch out and take the roast-less-traveled.
The coffee chain has, after all, made a business out of surprising and delighting intrepid customers with novel drinks over the years.
DON'T MISS: Starbucks just quietly removed this beloved item from its menu
One need only recall its olive oil-based Oleato or its viral Barbie Frappucino to see just how popular -- or divisive -- some of Starbucks' more far-fetched recipes can be.
And of course, Starbucks has also been something of a visionary when it comes to seasonal and more indulgent flavors too. Its Pumpkin Spice Latte is replicated at nearly every self-respecting coffee shop on both sides of the Mississippi, and many look forward to some of their holiday treats, such as the Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte (plenty of sugar and calories included).
So it shouldn't come as a surprise when Starbucks tries new drinks and flavors that are less kind to dietary efforts. And one of its most recent new innovations certainly isn't meant for those on a strict diet.
Starbucks tries out a new Frappucino
In the U.S., we celebrate fall with pumpkin spice in just about everything. In Japan, the humble sweet potato is the preferred squash -- or the satsumaimo as it's called there. Starbucks' latest Frappucino is an homage to the homestyle treat. They're typically roasted or baked and served warm with plenty of butter.
Beginning September 1, Starbucks locations in Japan will offer a Osatsu Butter Frappuccino, which is a butter flavored frozen drink with notes of honey and sweet potato. Starting September 22, customers will be able to add an osatsu customization to most orders, which is a sweet and salty honey butter sauce drizzled on top of a drink.
The drink will only be available in the tall size, or Starbucks version of a small. It will retail for 678 yen (or $4.63) for takeout and 690 yen in-store.
"According to the chain, there’s logic behind this sweet madness, as the butter helps to add a salty accent to the sweet potatoes, with honey added to the mix for extra sweetness," Sora News 24 reports. "The soft and fluffy roasted sweet potatoes will be appearing as chunks throughout the drink, to help create the sensation of eating buttery, honey-slathered potatoes, and there’ll even be a layer of salty imo kenpi (fried strips of sweet potato coated with sugar) at the bottom of the drink to 'bring out the charm of baked sweet potatoes and butter even more'."
Starbucks Japan will also get a few more fall additions to its menus, including:
- Benitama Custard Apple Pie: a custard and tart apple confectionary
- Pumpkin Spice Latte: you already know the deal, a latte with flavor notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.
