NEW YORK 鈥 The holidays officially begin this week 鈥 at least at 鈥 when the coffee chain rolls out its annual seasonal cups.
Beginning Thursday, customers at its U.S. locations will have their hot drinks served in one of four kinds of festive cups that have 鈥渇amiliar shades of Starbucks green and cranberry red paired with fondant-inspired soft pastels,鈥 according to a press release.
Green is the focus in this year鈥檚 design, with Kristy Cameron, Starbucks鈥 creative director, saying in the release that the jade hue 鈥渞eferences our brand colors in a way that brings a spark of joy to our holiday cups this season.鈥
Starbucks' festive cups rolls out Thursday.
The cups have become a tradition for the coffee chain and drum up excitement among its loyal customers. The tradition has also boosted revenue in the past, which the chain desperately needs.
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Starbucks' cold cup.
Last week, Starbucks () reported a third straight quarter of slumping sales and declining customer visits: Global sales at stores open at least a year dropped 7% last quarter and the number of customer transactions fell 8%.
Each of the four cups has a unique name and theme. The 鈥渏oyful connection鈥 design has circular shapes 鈥渃ombining to form a pattern that honors the art of coffee roasting,鈥 with the design based off the roasters seen at Starbucks鈥 fancy locations. The 鈥渓yrical landscape鈥 cup has alternating bands of lines that resemble gift wrapping, and the 鈥淪iren chorus鈥 is loosely based off the silhouette of Starbucks鈥 Siren logo. The 鈥渨arm wishes鈥 design features interconnected circles that evoke 鈥済lowing holiday lights and moments of enjoying coffee together.鈥
All of the cups have 鈥渓ittle badges on the back of the cups for baristas to write a message,鈥 according to the press release. CEO Brian Niccol he wants to bring back names hand-written in Sharpies as part of the chain鈥檚 shift back to having a 鈥渉uman touch.鈥
Iced drink cups are also getting a new design with festive charms in white print on the plastic. Cold drinks represent about 75% of Starbucks鈥 sales.
Starbucks鈥 holiday menu is also getting new items, including a 鈥淐ran-merry鈥 orange drink as part of the chain鈥檚 popular Refresher lineup of non-coffee beverages, a turkey sage danish, a snowman cake pop and a penguin-shaped cookie.
Starbucks first rolled out seasonal cups in 1997. The company stirred up controversy in 2015 when it i.e. images of reindeer and ornaments, and went with a simple two-toned red cup. Since then, it has added more festive flourishes, such as ornaments and mistletoe, to its cups.
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