Starbucks’ new Apple Crisp Macchiato
Source: Starbucks
Starbucks kicks off autumn with Apple Crisp Macchiato, the latest limited-time addition to its seasonal offering.
This year, the espresso drink will feature alongside the pumpkin spice latte and pumpkin cream Cold Brew on the autumn menu of the coffee chain, which is returning to cafes in the USA and Canada on Tuesday.
The macchiato, an espresso drink with a dash of foam on top, has been on the Starbucks menu for more than four decades. This version is made with apple and brown sugar flavors and topped with a caramelized apple drizzle made from apple puree. Customers can have the drink either hot or chilled.
The company said its research and development team was inspired to explore fall flavors beyond pumpkin for the new drink and ended up spicy baked apple. Apples are one of the most popular fruits in the US, and apple or apple flavors appear on 58% of US menus, according to research firm Datassential.
“Pumpkin seasoning is now a standard option on fall menus, so food service operators need to find new flavors to stand out. That’s why we’re seeing additional flavors like chai and apple trending this fall,” said Datassential trendologist Mike Kostyo.
He added that fruit flavors like apple work well in both cold and hot beverages, which is important as Starbucks and other coffee chains bring their fall menus to market earlier each year. Rival Dunkin ‘, privately owned by Inspire Brands, recently launched Apple Cranberry Refreshers as part of its fall range in mid-August.
Starbucks customers have been ordering more cold beverages throughout the year in recent years, even as they prepare for cooler temperatures in the fall. Last year the cold pumpkin cream brew even sold better than the pumpkin spice latte. In Starbucks’ third fiscal quarter, cold beverages accounted for 74% of total US beverage sales.
Starbucks shares are up more than 7% this year, equating to a market value of $ 136 billion.
