Starbucks Is Dropping 4 Fall Items Today—Here’s What to Know Before You Order
An air-whipped iced espresso drink and three seasonal pie flavors are Starbucks’ latest additions to its fall drop. Here’s what to know before you order.
© Starbucks
Starbucks already has plenty of fall items. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back—with the iconic flavor getting its own merchandise collection—and new drinks, such as the Iced Chaider or Iced Banana Bread Latte, were added. The coffee chain has some releases planned for Sept. 29, National Coffee Day: the Aerocano and Mini Pies.
The Aerocano: from South Korea to North America
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The Aerocano is a modern take on the iced Americano, a Starbucks staple since 1984. Baristas aerate Blonde Espresso with ice, making a foam top that creates a cascade as the drink settles. The most anticipated factor is the drink’s look and texture, rather than its seasonal flavor.
Starbucks introduced this drink in February to customers in South Korea, where more than 70% of its Americano orders were iced. This points to a bigger global trend, with 60% of Starbucks international beverage sales being cold.
Chanda Beppu, senior vice president of Starbucks Asia Pacific, noticed this trend and saw this as “the right moment to expand on the Americano platform with something that feels familiar and new at the same time.”
It took some time to make a foam that could be consistently made by baristas across the world. Testing variables like how long the espresso was aerated or how it was poured over ice, developers achieved a “slightly sweet texture while preserving the bright notes of the espresso shots.”
The Aerocano, alongside the Caramel Aerocano, will be available in all North America locations starting Sept. 29.
“It is creamy with a slightly sweet [flavor],” said Beppu. “I’m an Americano drinker myself, and it’s fun to take that familiar experience and add a visual and textural element to it.”
Mini Pies: Three Fall Favorites
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Starbucks is also adding three Mini Pies to its U.S. lineup, delicious pastries featuring fall’s most comforting flavors: Apple Crumble, centering tender apples layered with buttery streusel; Pecan, with caramelized pecan filling; and Pumpkin, filled with creamy pumpkin and fall spices.
These flavors aren’t entirely new, however, since Canadian locations started serving these treats on August 25. Their arrival in the U.S. gives customers another fall dessert choice, alongside Starbucks’ returning Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin and their new Hedgehog Cake Pop.
More Surprises Are on the Way
These aren’t all the unveilings Starbucks has for fall. Starting on October 22, U.S. coffeehouses will offer a limited-time Black Cat Frappuccino and Venti Black Night Cookie, just in time for Halloween! The chocolate cake-flavored Frappuccino is topped with adorable chocolate cat ears, and the black cocoa cookie is filled with caramel fudge and white chocolate pieces.
Since we aren’t in spooky season just yet, this September 29 launch is the perfect transition to fall by trying new flavors and brewing techniques.
