With 29,865 store locations in more than 75 countries, Starbucks has grown to be one of the most highly loved coffee chains for many consumers across the globe.
This massive Seattle-based empire has heavily invested in expanding internationally, and this investment has grown so large to the point where the brand now has more international stores than U.S shops. Starbucks is definitely not slowing down anytime soon, so we can expect more shops to continue to pop up in other countries around the world. To successfully market itself to new countries, the company creates menu items that are specifically tailored and unique to each country. In other words, we can thank Starbucks for undertaking this huge international expansion, because without this endeavor, the brand’s crazy exotic coffee flavors that we’ve seen over the years would not exist.
With that in mind, let’s take a little quick tour of Starbucks around the world!
- Japan
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If you’re a huge sucker for strawberries like I am, you’re going to fall in love with Japan’s holiday drink this year because it’s a Strawberry Cake Frappuccino. The frappuccino itself is a strawberry cake flavored base, and the drink sits on top of a bottom layer of sponge cake and strawberry sauce. To finish the drink off, a swirl of whipped cream is added at the top along with a sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberries.
- Korea
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Infused with a deep buttery and nutty flavor, Korea’s Toffee Nut Latte creates the perfect balance between the sweet taste of toffee and the bitter taste of coffee. The latte combines shots of espresso with some steamed milk, and it includes whipped cream on the top with a sprinkle of cashew nuts.
- Puerto Rico
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Fans of the decadent Cranberry White Chocolate Mocha drink in Puerto Rico and other parts of Latin America describe the beverage to be both sweet and tangy (yum!). It contains a mixture of espresso with steamed milk, and this combination is blended with a chocolate-flavored sauce. As for the top of the drink, cranberry sauce is drizzled over a bed of whipped cream and crystallized cranberry sugar.
- Vietnam
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This year’s holiday drink in Vietnam is called the Wishing Star Dark Mocha, and while it may seem a little unappetizing at first glance, it actually sounds super scrumptious when you take a look into what’s actually in the drink. The mocha beverage is made up of this rich, dark chocolate base and it’s topped off with a green tea flavored whipped cream that is sprinkled with yellow and red stars.
- Canada
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You might’ve been wondering why the Gingerbread Latte didn’t make its annual appearance on the U.S Starbucks menu this year, and that’s because it’s now a part of the Starbucks menu in Canada. This drink is a blended mixture of espresso and steamed milk combined with a series of spices to achieve its signature gingerbread flavor. A heaping pile of light whipped cream is placed on top with a generous dash of ground nutmeg.
- Switzerland
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This year, Switzerland has taken the classic coffeeshop vanilla latte and put a little twist on it by adding a kick of spice to it. The Vanilla Cardamon Latte has espresso mixed with a combination of milk, cardamon, and vanilla sugar. A sprinkle of vanilla cardamon sugar is also added at the top to create a divine finish to the sweet and spicy drink.
- U.K
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Hot chocolate is an absolute necessity when it comes to this time of year, and the U.K has gone all out for this holiday staple because Starbucks U.K just released their new Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate. The drink contains a sweet combination of mocha sauce and marshmallow syrup. For its topping, the beverage includes caramelized sugar sitting on a swirl of marshmallow flavored whipped cream.
- Singapore
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Starbucks Singapore looked to the key defining features of the holiday winter season for inspiration when creating their Holiday French Vanilla Latte. In order to achieve a wintery look with their drink, the top of the beverage was topped with blue-colored cream and white sprinkles to look like snow. The drink also consists of steamed milk and espresso infused with a strong french vanilla flavor.
If you happen to be traveling to any of these countries or areas this holiday season, these drinks are a must-try! On that note, it’s time for me to book a flight ASAP!