Starbucks customers furious over 'new concentrate' used in drinks
A Starbucks customer ignited a frenzy after claiming a barista informed her of a 'new concentrate' in her drink.
A Reddit user posted a photo of a Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte on the platform, saying its color and flavor were off.
'I'm told that it looks that way because there's a new concentrate they're using, but when I taste it it's just sugary milk,' the user wrote.
The skeptical customer added the barista told her that customers 'dislike the new matcha' because of its 'grassy flavor.'
The customer said she purchased the beverage on January 9, asking: 'Am I crazy?'
'[The barista] was very nice and made me a different drink,' she added.
'I'm just wondering if it's actually supposed to be like this.'
Reddit users were quick to comment on the post and many insisted that the beverage was made incorrectly.
A Reddit user shared a photo of an Iced Matcha Latte she ordered from Starbucks on January 9
'That was 100% made wrong. They need to review their recipes,' one wrote.
Others said the drink's color should have been darker and that the new Matcha with classic syrup has a 'nasty aftertaste.'
Several self-proclaimed baristas reacted to the drink, with one explaining the changes made to Matcha beverages.
'All the matchas I have made with the new formula look extremely light. Similar to this so I fear it could be accurate,' one wrote.
'The matcha scoop is very small now and there is SO much milk for the quantity of matcha in my opinion.'
Starbucks made several changes before and after the New Year, including a revamp of its Iced Matchas.
Starting January 2, Starbucks employees have been making Iced Matchas with an unsweetened powder instead of sweetened one.
Baristas must also blend the drink in a Cold Foam Pitcher instead of shaking the beverage to mix it.
Users were in a frenzy after seeing the unusually colored beverage
A few Reddit users brought up how the old formula was 'too sugary' for them, which led to Starbucks' formula change.
Customers will now have the option to select their own sweeteners if they wish to add sugar to their drink.
The Reddit user who created the post admitted she was not aware of the Iced Matcha changes, and ordered her drink without making modifications.
Starbucks has experienced several sales drops and suffered another fall for the third consecutive quarter in October 2024.
'It is clear we need to fundamentally change our strategy to win back customers,' Brian Niccol, chairman and chief executive officer, said in the report.
'My experience tells me that when we get back to our core identity and consistently deliver a great experience, our customers will come back.'
Niccol added the company had a 'clear plan' to improve and that it was moving quickly to 'return Starbucks to growth.'
Niccol had only been CEO for a month before he announced that he would simplify the chain's 'overly complex menu' to speed up the service.
Starbucks has suffered multiple sales slumps despite its new menus and methods to control service speed
However, Matcha formulas and menus may not be what Starbucks needs to get back on track.
'Simplifying the menu may help resolve the problem of cafes becoming more stressful and less appealing, but they are not the only issues in play,' Neil Saunders, Managing Director of GlobalData Retail, told DailyMail.com.
'The main issue is that consumers are buying less coffee from Starbucks in order to save money.'
