Starbucks Creates Wonder, Shares Joy with Customers this Holiday Season

Today, we welcome the start of the holiday season in Starbucks® stores nationwide! There are four holiday fact sheets available for download that provide additional details on all of our holiday product offerings, beverages, and holiday entertaining tips. They are:

• Tastes of the Season
• Seasonal Merchandise
• Entertaining at Home
• alice + olivia/Starbucks Collection

Additionally, all our images of merchandise, seasonal items, and other holiday themes are available for download on the Multimedia page or via our Holiday Look Book website using the password "starbucks."

Starbucks Creates Wonder, Shares Joy with Customers this Holiday Season

Beverage Share Event, new Gingerbread Latte and alice + olivia designer collection debut, Starbucks® Christmas Blend returns alongside seasonal favorites

SEATTLE, November 12, 2013 – Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) today welcomed the launch of the holiday season in Starbucks® stores nationwide. To celebrate the spirit of the season, Starbucks invites customers to participate in the Share Event by bringing a friend to participating stores in the U.S. on Nov. 13-17 from 2-5 p.m. to receive a free holiday beverage when purchasing a holiday beverage of equal or greater value. Beverages include Gingerbread Latte, Caramel Brulée Latte, Peppermint Mocha, Skinny Peppermint Mocha and Eggnog Latte.

“The holidays represent the most magical time of the year, and we are honored that our customers choose to make Starbucks a part of their holiday celebrations – whether that’s gathering with loved ones in our stores, enjoying a Gingerbread Latte respite during their holiday shopping, or bringing home a package of Christmas Blend for holiday entertaining,” said Cliff Burrows, Starbucks group president, Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). “Our store partners are excited to be a part of our customers’ lives as they share joy with others, and we hope that we also bring cheer to our customers and community during the holiday season and all year long.”

Enjoy Starbucks® Seasonal Holiday Coffees at Home or On-The-Go

For Starbucks, the holidays are a time to create wonder and share joy with sweet traditions rooted in more than four decades of passion for coffee, food and the holiday spirit. Back for its 29th year, Starbucks® Christmas Blend returns today as one of the most beloved coffees in Starbucks portfolio. This sweet, spicy favorite combines the liveliness of Latin American coffees with the smoothness of Asia-Pacific coffees and aged Sumatra beans. Starbucks® Christmas Blend is also available in Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew, decaf, K-Cup® packs and Verismo™ pods. Also returning this season for a limited time is Starbucks® Christmas Blend Espresso Roast and Starbucks® Holiday Blonde Roast. Customers on-the-go this holiday season can enjoy the taste of Starbucks signature Peppermint Mocha beverage anywhere with Starbucks VIA® Peppermint Mocha Flavored Coffee.

Celebrate Each Moment with Starbucks® Holiday Beverages & Treats

The much-anticipated return of the handcrafted holiday beverages and treats make Starbucks the perfect place to indulge, reminisce and make new memories this season. Returning for its 16th holiday this year, Starbucks® iconic red cup signals the arrival of the holidays and also brings the beloved Starbucks® holiday beverages available hot, iced or blended, including:

• [New Recipe!] Gingerbread Latte – Enjoy the flavors of freshly baked gingerbread combined with espresso and steamed milk. This holiday beverage is now topped with spice-infused whipped cream prepared with cinnamon, cloves and ginger and finished with a real molasses drizzle. The new Gingerbread Latte is sure to take you on a trip down memory lane to holidays past.
• Caramel Brulée Latte – Featuring a combination of espresso and steamed milk flavored with rich caramel brulee flavored sauce and topped with whipped cream and sweet, crunchy caramel brulée topping, this beverage is a holiday show stopper.
• Peppermint Mocha –Enjoy holiday flavor in full effect with the Peppermint Mocha, a combination of espresso, steamed milk, mocha sauce and peppermint flavored syrup. Topped with a fluffy cloud of whipped cream and dark chocolate curls, this beverage is just too good to resist.
• Skinny Peppermint Mocha—Featuring a combination of espresso, steamed nonfat milk, sugar-free mocha sauce and sugar-free peppermint flavored syrup, the Skinny Peppermint Mocha provides a light twist on a sweet treat, 100 calories for a Tall (12 fl oz.) beverage. Not available blended.
• Eggnog Latte – Savor Starbucks wildly popular interpretation of holiday eggnog! Featuring a combination of espresso mixed with rich steamed eggnog, and topped with ground nutmeg, this is a perfect choice for a crisp winter morning or cozy afternoon.

Festive beverages are the perfect pairing for Starbucks® holiday treats such as Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop, Frosted Snowman Cookie and Cranberry Bliss® Bar.

Spread the Joy with Timeless Gifts for Everyone

Starbucks is the perfect gifting destination for presents that share the joyful spirit of the holiday season. From festive stocking stuffers like our array of coffee tumblers, hostess gifts that spread the cheer such as the Tin & Chalkboard Advent Calendar or a package of Starbucks® Christmas Blend to special presents for coffee enthusiasts like the Starbucks® Pour Over Brewer and Mug Set, Starbucks® Artistry of Coffee Sampler and Verismo® System 580 which allows customers to craft Starbucks® brewed coffee, espresso and new this year, Teavana® Chai flavored pods.

Debuting this year is a special collection of limited-edition pieces designed exclusively for Starbucks by Stacey Bendet, founder and designer of alice + olivia. The Starbucks® Double Wall Ceramic Mug – alice + olivia and Designer Girl Bearista® Bear are “must-haves” for Starbucks lovers and style aficionados alike. Whether it’s the office desk or holiday table, the tumbler adds playful style to the holiday season and the Bearista® Bear is sure to bring a smile to even the littlest fashionista’s face.

For gifts that everyone will enjoy, give the gift of a special Starbucks Experience with the new Red Cup Mini Starbucks® Card. Inspired by the iconic Starbucks® red cup, this versatile Starbucks card can double as a gift tag adding a special treat to any package, or used as an ornament to adorn your tree after you’ve redeemed your favorite coffee – truly a gift that keeps on giving. A special gift can also be sent to a loved one with just the click of a button with Starbucks Card eGift (www.starbucks.com/shop/card/egift). To learn more about the holiday experience at Starbucks, please visit www.starbucks.com/joy.