As the time changes and the flowers start to bloom, the promise of a vibrant, sweet Spring arrives. With warmer temperatures and longer days, people crave different flavors. The new Starbucks Iced Cherry Chai captures that sentiment in the sweetest way.
While many people have their favorite Starbucks order, others prefer to change their order season to season. It is more than the pumpkin spice lattes or wintry peppermint mochas. The new flavors keep that motivating guests to come back time and again.
The newest menu item to join the seasonal line-up is the Starbucks Iced Cherry Chai. It is interesting to see Starbucks focus on a chai offering for spring. While the iced component seems fitting, the warm spiced with the juicy fruit is something different from the coffee giant.
According to Starbucks, the new beverage starts with black tea and adds warm spiced like cinnamon and clove. Milk and ice are added. The beverage is topped with a cherry cream cold foam and cherry crunch topping.
As Billy Altieri, lead beverage developer for Starbucks said, “When you take a sip of Iced Cherry Chai, you immediately get a creamy texture, warm spices, and notes of cherry – and it all comes together in an approachable way.”
The interesting description from Altieri is “approachable.” In previous years, Starbucks has wanted to push flavor boundaries. From spice infused Refreshers to bold flavor combinations, they brand was unafraid to step beyond the tried and true coffee offerings.
By offering a flavor that seems sweet, creamy, even a touch nostalgic, the company seems to be channeling other beverage trends. Cherry infused colas are everywhere. Even other non-colas jumped into the Shirley Temple story.
Combining the cherry cold foam with the chai could spark a new food trend. Maybe that cherry pie would benefit from some cloves. Or, that simple vanilla ice cream with fruit topping would be more enjoyable with a dash of cinnamon. Playing with spices and fruit opens the door to a multitude of flavor possibilities.
The Iced Cherry Chai joins other spring offerings at Starbucks. Check with stores for availability and pricing.