Starbucks changed its coffee blend for the first time in 18 years

Change is brewing at Starbucks.

The coffee chain has made a big change to its iced coffee, updating the recipe for the first time in 18 years.

The previous iced coffee blend was launched in 2006, and the new recipe update rolled out on May 7, Starbucks revealed to TODAY.com .

Starbucks iced coffee is now made with a blend of “sun-dried and washed” Latin American coffee beans that will deliver a cup of coffee that’s “approachable and refreshing with notes of malted milk chocolate and a brown-sugar sweetness.”

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“Designed with versatility in mind, the new Iced Coffee Blend is delicious either on its own or customized to any customer’s preference,” Starbucks coffee developer Leslie Wolford said in a statement.

The company said that nearly two-thirds of their beverage sales as of May 2024 have come from cold drinks such as their iced coffee drinks, cold-brewed coffee — distinct from iced coffee, which is brewed hot and later chilled — and iced, shaken espresso.

It might be a subtle change, but Starbucks lovers have noticed.

“Is it just me or is the ice coffee just not good anymore???” one person asked on Reddit . “Am I doing something wrong? I don’t [remember] the iced coffee being this bad.”

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“You’re not doing anything wrong. They changed something with the iced coffee recipe and it doesn’t quite taste the same anymore,” someone explained in the comments. “Iced coffee used to be my go to drink but now I drink cold brew instead since the iced coffee tastes like coffee-flavored water.”

Some Reddit users also noted that most stores have gotten a new brewer, which could be contributing to the change in taste.

“The difference is the Vertica brewer that every store is getting now — it’s a really common complaint that the coffee they brew doesn’t taste strong and/or has grounds in it sometimes,” someone explained.

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“The ‘iced coffee’ setting brews half of what we were all used to with the old machine. The training for the new machine did not highlight this insignificant little detail. If they’re not paying attention and throw the same amount of ice in there they always did, you’re going to get a cup of water with light coffee flavor,” another apparent employee said.

In another update, Starbucks iced coffee is now served unsweetened as the standard — as opposed to including pumps of classic syrup as the default.

Most customers opted for less or no syrup when ordering iced coffee, so not providing it at the start will be sure to change people’s go-to orders.

One employee at an Albertson’s Starbucks asked on Reddit , “Hey did they change the Iced Coffee?” sharing that multiple regulars at their location noted a change in taste.

“The blend changed during Summer 1 launch and is no longer served standard with classic syrup,” someone in the comments said.

“No longer served with classic syrup by default is good but the new blend kinda sucks,” another chimed in.

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