Starbucks Just Dropped a New Summer Menu—and Confirmed Refresher Rumors

We're still making our way through May, but at Starbucks, summer is in full swing. Beginning May 9, customers can order two new summer beverages—the Chocolate Java Mint Frappuccino and the White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew—along with a few other seasonal surprises.

In a separate statement, the company also addressed the recent rumors that their popular Refreshers drinks would come with an additional charge for customizations. Here's what you can expect from their summertime launch, lineup, and cost changes.

Chocolate Java Mint Frappuccino

The Chocolate Java Mint Frappuccino blended beverage puts a refreshing spin on the original—instead of the Java Chip’s traditional chocolate sauce, this drink is blended with a white chocolate mint sauce, finished with a layer of mocha sauce, and topped with whipped cream and a chocolate cookie mint sprinkle topping.

“The new white chocolate mint sauce is subtle and creamy, and when paired with the crunch of Frappuccino chips and a swirl of rich mocha, is reminiscent of mint chocolate chip ice cream poolside on a warm summer day," said Maureen Matthews of the Starbucks beverage development team in a statement.

White Chocolate Macadamia Cold Brew

Also joining the summer lineup is a White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew. The nutty, balanced beverage features macadamia syrup-sweetened cold brew, a layer of white chocolate macadamia cold foam, and toasted cookie crumbles. If you were a fan of the Pistachio Cream Cold Brew from the holiday drink menu, there’s a good chance you'll enjoy this sweet, summery twist.  

“When creating Starbucks White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew, we were inspired by memories of fresh macadamia nuts on tropical vacations and the distinct flavor of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies,” said Matt Thornton, also of the Starbucks beverage development team, in the statement.

Earlier this year, the coffee giant launched a Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew, which was reminiscent of a sticky bun and became a favorite among cold brew fans. That beverage will be available through the end of the year, but the White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew will only be offered throughout the Starbucks summer season.

Green Apron Blend

Along with the crafted beverages, the company announced a new coffee blend, created by gathering nearly 24,000 employee idea submissions to shape its flavor and roast profiles. The employees also chose from which regions the coffee would be sourced and helped design the packaging. A portion of the proceeds ($5 for each 1-pound bag and 10 cents per brewed cup) goes to the Starbucks Caring Unites Partners (CUP) Fund, which serves as an emergency resource fund for employees in need.

To satisfy hot and cold coffee drinkers alike, the Green Apron developers knew they needed to create a blend that would work equally well for both preferred brewing methods.

“When you experiment with this coffee, whether brewing it as hot in the Bunn brewer, Clover Vertica, or in a coffee press, you really get more of the citrus notes from the African origins and the toasty graham cracker notes from the Latin American components,” said Leslie Wolford, a lead on the Starbucks coffee development team, in a statement. “Then when you introduce it in a cold style such as iced or cold brew, that's going to be more sweet-forward. It's super refreshing and it has an energy which I think is really going to be exciting over ice.”

The winning blend is a 50/50 mix of beans sourced from Latin America and Africa, which are roasted light to keep the flavor profile sweet, citrusy, fruity, and nutty.

Bumblebee Cake Pop

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Starbucks launch without a seasonal cake pop. This year, the unicorn cake pop flavor of 2022 is back—but dressed up as a buzzy, cartoonish bee. Starbucks notes that it features vanilla cake mixed with buttercream and dipped in chocolaty icing with a “fun bumblebee design."

Some baristas have a different take. “I seriously can’t stop laughing at this,” one wrote on a thread in the r/StarbucksBaristas Reddit community. “Who approved this design?!” Others compared it to a "poorly-drawn Garfield" (although, art is in the eye of the beholder).

Refresher Upcharge Confirmation

Along with the good news of the new summer products, Starbucks also announced some bad news for fans of their fruity Refreshers drinks—beginning May 9, the company will charge an additional $1 for customers who customize their beverages with “no water.” You can still customize the amount of ice you want for free (despite a few online rumors stating otherwise). If you're already modifying your Refresher with coconut milk instead of water, expect to pay the same price you usually do—at least for now.

"This change allows us to provide a more consistent approach to customization, similar to other beverage customizations such as adding an espresso shot or syrup, which incur an additional charge," a Starbucks spokesperson told CNN. "Starbucks Refreshers Beverages can still be customized with light or no ice free of charge."