Frappucino Goes Green


Starbucks launches a green tea beverage for the masses.

I am going to spend this column talking about Starbucks’ newest introduction, a green tea version of the ubiquitous frozen, blended drink, Frappucino. But first, a few confessions. I am a die-hard fan of Starbucks. I drink Tazo tea every morning. I think Starbucks fruit and cheese plate is one of the greatest fast-food offerings on the market, and I frequently seek out Starbucks stores for a T-mobile connection as a 100,000-mile road warrior. And…we (Mattson) have worked with Starbucks in the past.

So, I had a mixed reaction to this new product. I switched from coffee to a morning cuppa tea about 5 years ago for health reasons. I preach the polyphenol, flavenoid, antioxidant, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) benefits of tea. And I think America is late to the green tea party (apologies to our forefathers). But I’m not sure I like the form this Asian beverage has taken at Starbucks. I want Americans to learn to love green tea. I don’t think they need another super-sweet, high calorie indulgence.

Green Tea Frapp is marketed as “blended with melon syrup.” My first one was so vanilla-y that I went to a different Starbucks the next day to order another one, sure that the barrista had mistakenly pumped vanilla syrup into my Green Tea instead of melon. I was wrong. Apparently, Starbucks doesn’t think we’re ready for the flavor of green tea, which, if you’re among the uninitiated, is subtle, grassy, herby, woodsy, and slightly tannic. Melon would be a nice compliment to it. But Green Tea Frappucino is none of these things and there is no melon flavor. It is creamy, cold, craveable, and most prominently VANILLA-Y(!!!). But this is starter green tea, the way California rolls are starter sushi.

Why has Starbucks dumbed this product down? Perhaps they realized, rightfully so, that most Americans’ only interaction with green tea is the sweet, creamy, cold craveable, vanilla-y ice cream we’ve eaten at Benihana. Has Starbucks gone soft? Where’s the edge? Where’s the tannin? Where’s the grass? Green Tea Frappucino is a drink that would fit the Lipton or Nestea brand, not Starbucks.

And while I’m on the subject, did you try Chantico? This was Starbucks attempt at a super-premium hot chocolate, introduced last year. While claiming a subtle affiliation with Mexican chocolate beverages, Chantico was as intense and satiating as a cupful of brownie batter, not light, thin, and bittersweet like true Mexican hot chocolate. I wanted to love Chantico, but I could barely finish one.

If Starbucks wants to retain their leadership position, they need to offer cutting-edge beverages that-- perhaps like that first taste of Starbucks coffee after growing up on Folgers, or that first taste of really good red wine-- we have to grow to appreciate. Chantico and Green Tea Frappucino are too heavy-handed, too obvious, too simple to bear the Starbucks name. And don’t even get me started on the caloric content of these beverages. There are ways of formulating delicious beverages so they don’t have to pack upwards of 400 calories.

I have no plans to abandon Starbucks, but I do hope this wakes them up like a cup of bold, edgy, take-no-prisoners, Starbucks French-roast coffee. Black.



Green Tea FrappucinoThe least caloric Green Tea Frappucino, at 270 calories, is a Tall…and needs to be specially ordered without whipped cream.


Posted: Sat - August 13, 2005 at 03:32 PM        

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