Starbucks Coffee

Yay to soy and decaf!!!!  Thank you!!!

Thank goodness for soy options now.

This is great news!  My husband and I were DAILY frap drinkers until decaf was eliminated a year and a half ago.  We've been to Starbucks maybe twice since then!

We are thrilled you are bringing the decaf product back, and will be regulars once again!!  Thank you Starbucks -- the "anyway you want it frap" is a very good move.  I also have several friends who cannot drink fraps because soy was not an option, so this should be good for business....we can hardly wait!

Can you be more specific about the nutritional information?  Right now I order a Caramel Light frap with SF Caramel Syrup.  Will I be able to SAVE calories and get a drink with LESS sugar grams with these new fraps?

I too will be interested to see the nutritionals on this. I like being able to get a light Mocha frap for 110 calories. Hope this doesn't change.

My daughter will be THRILLED to be able to get a soy. She tried a couple times to get a blended soy latte but the results were less than fabulous.

Glad to see decaf fraps are back- they are my favorite - Estelle Korelc (MOM)

I used to really enjoy the Chai Frappuccino light as a treat before teh light creme base was discontinued.  I am excited this will be available as an option again!

What is the wait time going to be for the new drinks?  Will barista's finally learn how to blend the drinks so they are not so icy.

I have been a customer for more than 10 years, and I actually spend $10 every day for my one and only drink that I purchase twice a day. It is the coffee frappuccina. I am very concerned about the changes being made to the product and need to know if they will still be using the base mix for the customers that just want a plain coffee frap?

I can not have soy, and though I am a diabetic, I never can drink the sugar free mix ever. I suffer badly if I drink one of them, but I am just fine when I drink the regular one. It is sad that I can't purchase the carton of the mix so I can make them at home. I've tried making the fraps with the bottled stuff sold in stores, but it has milk in it and in no way does it taste the same either. Help!!!!

Will the whipped cream be available in an unsweetened variety also?  As a diabetic the natural sugar in skim milk is acceptable but the refined extra added sugar is to be avoided.  As I understand it, I will be able to order a blended drink with skim milk, sugar free syrup and I hope unsweetened whipped cream--am I right?  Hopefully there will not be an additional charge for this.  What will the nutritional counts be for this in a Venti size?  I am interested in calorie, carbohydrate and sugar counts.  What is the launching date?

My carbohydrate and sugars must be minimal.  I need sugar free syrups, nonfat milk and unsweetened whip cream in frozen drinks.  These can not come soon enough.  I can't wait.

Last week, the barista at Stabucks said I could order a Light Frappuccino with SF caramel syrup "instead of the powder"... Is this drink actually sugar free (besides the milk sugars)?  I am also curious as to the official launching date of these "However-you -want-it" Fraps!

My thoughts on the new frappucino is that it tastes horrible.  I am happy that my $200 a month on Starbucks will be spent elsewhere.  

Oh yeah, however you want it should mean just that, i want the old recipe.

Hi Jennifer - how many grams of sugars and fat will there now be in a tall Chai Frappuccino with nonfat milk and no whip?  I like that a tall is now reduced by 80 calories.

Currently the nutrition part of the website shows a tall Chai Frappuccino has 220  calories, 1.5 g of fat, No sat. fat and but 44g of sugar.  

(I assume they are not including whip in these totals because the fat grams would shoot way up).  

I am curious to find the new totals now, and thanks for giving me the info on the calories!

BTW- I think the nutrition area of the website was better before the revamp.  I feel it is not as customizable now.  Before you included info on just the syrups, sauces and drizzles and you could add or subtract those calories/sugars from the beverage depending on how much you ordered.  I was a fitness trainer and nutritionist for awhile, so I tend to pour over those things!

The new mix is horrible!  Too much espresso flavor and too sweet!  I am a Mocha Lite Frappacino fan and buy a Grande or larger every day, also I buy the bottles from the grocery store and keep it in stock in my home.  However, on a lighter note, my husband is delighted now that he will be saving hard earned dollars on not buying me a Frapp everyday.

Too bad you had to change a good thing!

I guess the "however-you-want-it" means you can't have the old tired and true mix anymore.  Too bad...

I was very dissapointed in what I got yesterday and had to return it to the counter.  I am a Mocha Light Frappacino fan and drink it everyday.  I guess I will have to stop going to Starbucks, it's the only drink I don't mind spending big bucks on.

My husband and I are caramel frappuccino fans and drink one everyday ($300 a month on starbucks to be exact) but have not been back since Tuesday, your new ingredients and taste is HORRIBLE. We want the old recipe back a.s.a.p...... please

Untill then helooooooooooo Coffee Bean!!!!

Dear Starbucks, I tried the new coffee frappuccino today and I really, really, didn't like it ~ way too sweet and the famous coffee "bite" had gone. The barista remade it twice, but said they had all been trying and trying to get it as close to the old version as possible since practically all their regulars had complained, and it just wasn't possible. This is the end of an era from me. I can't drink this stuff. It's like the coffee flavored milkshakes McDonalds sell. Horrible.

Jennifer, my comment is similar to yaromac's. The new coffee frappuccino seems to have too little coffee, and way too much sweetener. The barista remade it, and it still wasn't right. I went to a different Starbucks location yesterday, and asked if they were using the new recipe yet, and was told they weren't trained on it yet, and were using up the remaining frapp mixes first. She estimated it would be another month before they would switch over - and she was able to sell me the classic coffee frappuccino. It is the reason I go out of my way, and pay more.

From now on, I will ask before ordering at Starbucks, and if the location uses the new recipe, we will go elsewhere and / or learn to make it at home.

Please continue providing the mixes so your baristas can make the original frappucino for customers.

I am with all the others hating that new Frapp mix. We found a store that has the old mix until the 20th and that is the only one we will go to.

The new mix is watered down and not rich and luxurious tasting like the old one. It is overly sweet tasting which makes the syrups taste aweful

We used to buy 2 a day but will no longer go to Starbucks when the old mix is gone.

You've lost a customer. Let me know when the original Frappuccino blended beverage returns!!

I feel the same way about the "new" frappuccino.  Too milky, no coffee taste, very sweet, like a milk shake or a childrens drink.  What happened to that great Starbucks's coffee taste ?  You have made a mistake on this change.  I hope you change it back or I will also have to spend my money else where.   Come back original frappuccino blended beverage !!!  

I noticed the new "formula" before my barista told me about it.  I just thought I got a dud, but then the next three were just the same, undrinkable.  I won't waste my money on Starbucks any longer.  They obviously don't care about someone like me who was a daily Frapp drinker.  Thanks for saving me some money Starbucks, hope you find people that will drink that mess.  On a brighter note, Pete's and Coffee Bean have some really great iced drinks, that actually taste like they have coffee in them.

I think sometimes people forget that a Corporate Giant like Starbucks wouldn't have made a change without testing the product in a 'test kitchen' for at least a year and then test it in the stores for another year or so. Things change because of the feedback that you give-so at least you know they are listening to you.

These new frappuccinos seem to open up very new, fairly large demographics...soy and decaf drinkers. I have been lucky enough to taste and view the many different combinations there are for these frappuccinos. Before you give up on your favorite frappuccino work with your barista-they really want you to be satisfied with your order and if it takes 15-20 different combinations to get it right or close they will happily try...and if they don't then customer service is not their highest priority. Good Luck!

Are you serious?  Why would I spend any time "working" with the barista to get a drink to taste like it used to?  If it really tastes bad, I'll just switch to iced lattes.

New Frappachinos are really bad!  Starbucks blew it this time.

Is a surprising move to change up a formula that's been so successful. The taste is decent, as is the idea. But to have really changed it up, they should have gone with without the mix and syrup, done it in a more authentic way.

Anyhow, I tried it yesterday for the first time and wrote up some thoughts here:

www.zatznotfunny.com/sbux

Zatz - Thank you so much for posting a link to your review of the new frappucino.  I enjoyed it, even if it turns out I don't enjoy the new formula.  I will keep an open mind.  

the new formula is not good, and there is now no consistency across the board as in every barista makes your drink different some bad and some worse than that. I am paying a lot for my drink....now I have to make it too? as in "work with the barista?" Shouldn't they know what they're doing?

Horrible, horrible, horrible! The new frappucinos are actually undrinkable! Disgusting!! I had to return mine, and will never ever drink one of those again, or even attempt to...  Same thing happened to the Vivanos, now they have no taste, they are flavourless, no sweetness, no smoothnes, less protein ...basically icy drinks with same ammount of money, I feel cheated Starbucks! Now you basically give less for same ammount of money. It costs you less to make those drink , and we, the customers pay the price. You just lost a loyal Starbucks customer. There's nothing I need to go to a Sbucks store for anymore... I hate the new Vivanos, and I hate the frappucinos now... Just horrible... They are absolutely NOT smoother or richer, not true... they are icy, with no flavour, I feel like I drink ice for $5 dollars, with horrible syrups in them that leave your mouth tasting funny afterwards. There's always Esparks , Dunkin Donuts, or home made frappucinos. Farewell, Starbucks....

The new frappuccinos are disgusting.  I have been a loyal starbucks frappuccino drinker for 15 years, ever since they came out, and a DAILY frapp drinker for at least the past 10 years.  It was my drug of choice (hence my user name), my daily sin I called it, but I've had to stop cold turkey after trying the new frap recipe, bleh!!!  After one sip I threw it away.  I then visited another location hoping they had the original base, they didn't but said they'd make me a new one on the house thinking maybe my first try was made wrong.  Well, the second one I tried was just as bad, and met the same fate, in the garbage on my way out the door.  They are watery, don't taste at all like the original and have a horrible lingering aftertaste.  Why change it!?  What was wrong with it?  It has done very well for 15 years.

I have now gone 10 days without my venti coffee frap, a record for me by far, saving me $39.50 and counting.  Sure my husband will be happy with the savings.  I'm going to miss my awesome baristas, they knew my name, my drink and even had it made for me before I walked in the door!  I won't be back unless the original frappuccino is brought back.  Bad move Starbucks!

Like the others, I was addicted to Fraps after my first Mocha Coconut.  I tried to keep it down to 2-3 per week, but all this year, I've been pretty much having 1 per day.  I think my Starbucks budget is bigger than my supermarket budget!

I crave Frappuccinos the way people crave their cigarettes.  I tell everyone you guys must put crack in them.  Even when I tell myself "no Frappuccino today", I end up at the counter ordering one.  (let's not even start on airports, amusement parks, hotels and casinos...)  Holy cow!  I can't picture getting on a plane without my Frap in hand!  Argh!  

Now all that is gone.  Even with Barista tweaking, the new mix is NOTHING like the old mix.  It's like some crappy Frap rip-off!  

I guess I should be happy that I'm cured and my wallet will be fatter, but I'm not!  I want the old Frappuccino back.  This new one is very easy to avoid.  Change is not always good.

Great idea, but it tastes absolutely disgusting. It's great that you can now customize it and so on, absolutely, but if that comes at the expense of losing the original taste, what good does that do??

I won't be back, sorry. The frappuchino was the only drink I enjoyed at Starbucks, and it seems SB has now cured me of that expensive habit. Saves me money I guess.

The new way to make java chip fraps results in a cold, milky beverage that doesn't taste like coffee or chocolate.  I understand the desire to offer options to those who could not drink the old version, but the lack of taste mades it a dud.   It's my understanding that the test markets consisted of Dallas, Houston, and Tampa.   Texas and Florida markets do not represent the entire country and there should have been more diversity in these markets.  I don't know how the sampling was done, who the testers were, if they had focus group, etc..., but for those of us who liked the old mix, the new one is not a satisfactory replacement.

Instead of opening and increasing market share, Starbucks is alienating loyal customers.  It should not be the customers job to try multiple times to replicate a drink that a company claims has the same taste.   I am not going to pay $4.19 for a drink that tastes like milk, ice, sugar, and a few chips.  Hopefully Starbucks will respond to their loyal frap customers, just as they claim to have done for their soy/decaf loyal customers.  If not, my homemade fraps, although not as good as the old fraps, are miles above the current offering.

This is disgusting!  Horrible!  And you all will agree once you try the worst drink in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was in such a great mood this morning, on my way to church, until I pulled away from the Starbucks drive-thru and had my first sip of my mocha frap light!  Right away I screamed yuck!!! and my daughter asked me what was wrong.  I just knew they had made a mistake and parked to take the yuckie frap inside to have it re-made.  Since I know the baristas in there and they know me, they all looked at me and shook their heads.  They advised me that the base had changed and that is the way it will taste from today forward.  They tried making it several times.  I even went to different SB to see if they had any of the old mix left and they too tried to make it for me to get it like the old one!  The manager at one of them gave me my money back and a free coupon for a drink.  They were all apologetic and tried to help me the best they could.  I threw away 6 drinks all in the matter of 30 minutes.  Talk about disappointed!

Well, this is one of those "God knew I couldn't kick the habit myself" deals.  This new frap mix is disgusting, horrible, and undrinkable!  I will never ever try it again and will now forcibly kick my $280 month, 2x's daily Mocha Frap Light addiction.  There was absolutely no warning for me and I have to do this cold turkey...which really upsets me.  Starbucks, you got this one wrong and will lose a lot of customers from this horrible change!!!!

For those reading these blogs, you probably think we are all quacks but this drink was like a low calorie desert for me.  I had the gastric bypass almost 1 1/2 ago and this was the only good tasting desert-like drink I could have that didn't make me sick.  Now that joy is gone!  I woke up without any warning thinking I was going to have my enjoyable delicious drink but that wasn't the case.  Oh well, I will have more money to spend and more time to get to work in the morning since I will not be stopping at SB anymore!  

Dear Jennifer:

Do you see your career dissipation light flashing in the corner of your eye?  I would not want your job at all! I am allergic to milk and soy, what choice has SB's given me?  I now have lost my perfect Barista made sugar free drink to a disgusting tasting look-a-like, again, what choice has been given to me?  What choice has SB’s given all customers that have certain allergies and reactions to food products and not warned them ahead of time?

The store that I visited was very busy, as it was on a Casino Boat in our local town, and after I finally received my money back on the “New Frap It Your Way” drink, I sat quietly in the corner just to watch the long line develop with customers returning their drinks as they thought the “Old” base was spoiled.  I watched as the Baristas made, remade, and remade the drinks and to no avail, I seen SB profits being tossed away, and finally the customer’s $$ was returned.  It was very entertaining, as since I do not have my “Old” Frap to pass the time on any longer, I have to get my giggles somehow. You also need to consider giving your employees a substantial raise as they are in a war zone with many irate customers, and they will need added medical coverage just to handle the stress.  I know if I was an employee, and seeing what the Baristas went through in the matter of 45 minutes, I would be actively looking for another job, as it would not matter what SB’s customers went to, there is NO way to duplicate the taste of the “Old” way.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a firm believer in change, as my job requires it working with customers. I live in Corporate America everyday and when decisions are made, even if they are not good ones, admitting “We Were Wrong” is not in their vocabulary, so I will not ask that you bring back the “Old” base as I know SB’s can not do this as millions has already been spent bringing out the new.  My question is why did not SB’s do what many establishments have done and very successfully may I add, have the so called “Unhealthy” and the “Healthy” menus to choose from?  After all, we are Americans and our free choices have always been a proud statement made by each of us at one time or another.

I guess I will end on a positive note and thank SB’s for the money that will remain in my wallet, and who knows, maybe someday you and I can chat in person on a beach somewhere from the money I save buying Fraps.  I will however miss going to my local SB’s and them knowing me by my name and drink, as with several of your loyal Frap customers, something that I am sure will show on your profit margin charts one way or another in the near future.  Good Luck and May God Bless.

Frapless in Indiana

I just moved to Peet's and Seattle's best coffee after years of patronage to the Signature Hot chocolate & the old way of making Mocha Frappacino. Sadly, it reminds me of the time I moved away from Mc Donalds & BK...   I'll come back only if the old stuff is back...  Tell the person at the top who made the decision: "Next time run samples of a new version across all theaters before writing it in stone. If you plan to delete or change an item of the menu, ASK the patrons first."  Grad school won't teach you this...

I read up a little about the improvements to make it healthier... Well, while I choose to believe that, I ask that it be made as close as possible to the old recipe...  and bring back Signature Hot Chocolate or at least sell the mix off your shelves. Till I actually hear from friends that the old taste is back, I'll stay with Seattle's or Peets

My Wife and I only went to Starbuck's for the Frappuccino - The new one tastes awful and we will probably be taking our business elsewhere!

I'm going to be the dissenting opinion here and say that I LOVE the new fraps! Thank you for providing more options for those of us who couldn't order the old ones!  :)

I think the new frappuccinos are great.  I am not sure, but a lot of the comments above sound very similar as if written in the same voice.  This sounds like a very vocal but very small group.  Maybe only one real person. BTW Frapless,  the lite frappuccinos had milk in them so you would have been allergic to them as well.  Also, how are people getting these from anywhere unless they are in Texas or Florida.  The new ones shouldn't have started until at least today at the earliest and not until the 4th of May at the lastest.

dgt107ps,

That's great that you like them but many customers do not.   It's my understanding that Starbucks may have stopped production/ordering of the old frap product so stores are running out and rolling out the new "frap"..  One of our local stores ran out of the old product over two weeks ago and started to use the new mix .   I believe that people are voicing their concerns because a product they liked has been pulled and is no longer available.  No it's not the end of the world by any means, just a little disappointing.

I already have a recipe from a Costa Rican cafe that will be my homemade recipe and Starbucks apparently doesn't want anymore revenue from me.

dgt107ps,

So....just because there are so many people who agree that the new frapps are awful YOU think that it is just one person taking the time to comment under various user names, lol!  That's pretty funny, but the simple fact is that a lot of loyal frappuccino drinkers are very upset about this change.  They are nothing like the original and Starbucks will be losing a lot of patrons, sadly.  And just because you heard that the new frapp wasn't coming out until May, doesn't mean it is fact.  Our locations here in No. CA have been making them for almost 2 weeks now.  I only wish we still had the original, if just until May.  At least I could enjoy my favorite daily drink until then, but I've already had to quit cold turkey after trying the new frapp.  Yuck.

Not liking the new mocha frappuccino formulation. If you're trying to lower calories, why not make a separate low cal version?

If you are trying to skimp on ingredients to save money, you are putting your company on a very slippery slope.

You probably won't be seeing me around much anymore, as I only go to Starbucks for the mocha frappuccino... here's another $100 a month you'll no longer be seeing in your pocket.

dgt107 ps....

NO I can assure you we are NOT the same person (all of the above) the same way I am not the same user as you are... I will tell you why everybody sais the same thing about the drinks...because  we all drank the same drink! how hard it is....

both me and my husband used to love the frappucinos...now we BOTH hate them, and we are NOT the same person. I can assure you of that. They are disgusting. That's all... simple as that. Anybody who has their tongue buds in good shape, can tell the difference... It's just not a pleasant drink. I've seen many, many people also at the store, right after they bought their drinks, they look at it with a funny face, right away they know from the color that's not what it used to be. What I hate the most is that SB doesn't tell their customers about teh change. When you go and buy something you know what you expect. But when you buy something you weren't actually planing to, like the new drinks, it's just not right for the customers.  What are we? experimental hamsters? anyway....

who would waste their time typing all this if it wasn't real? nobody dislikes SB, actually everybody loves it! just that we hate now their new drinks.  That's why people are so into it, because they want their addictive SB drink back.

dgt107ps,

PS: We don't have to prove we are different users, I am sure it will show in the profit that SB will make from now on... there's nothing to prove personally to you, anyway.... it will all come to the surface by itself. :)

Well...I feel vindicated, I signed in as raerae4 on april 6th (since i cant remember my password I re-signed up as shamwow4) but back in early April i said how horrific the new frapp was.  I liken it to changing the original Coke formula.  I hate Starbucks so much for changing my drink, but i was wondering if anyone tried the bottled drinks, do they taste the same as the old base?

The new frappuchino is awful...simply awful!

I have been buying a coffee light frappuchino EVERYDAY for the last few years...every single day!  I thought that I had a "bad" one the other day...then the next day I got another "bad" one.  I found out that this was indeed the new frappuchino--NIGHTMARE.  Gone is my daily treat that I look forward to...replaced by a terrible tasting thing.  Please, please, please bring back the original...give the new one to the customers seeking custom drinks.  The frappuchino faithful deserve better...please.

The new frap recipe is horrible! Please change it back! As a mom with 2 kids and a fulltime career I relied on my daily caramel light frap with a drizzle on top to jumpstart my day. I forgave you guys for taking away my half decaf option but this new recipe is just horrible. How can a drink mange to be bitter and tasteless at the same time? I have been to a new coffee place everday since to try and find a substitute and nothing else compares. Please don't force me to learn how to make coffee!

dgt107ps,

I have never participated in an online complaint group before but this change has actually affected my daily lifestyle. The new formula came out in AZ over two weeks ago, from the first sip I could tell that it was awful. I haven't had one since and am having withdrawals. Like thunderstorm says I'm sure SB will eventually notice the drop in their revenue, frappucinos account for 10% of their sales. I can believe it, spend at least 200 a month on my fraps.

My local ST (our code for Starbucks) knows my name and usual drink by heart.  I don’t even have to go inside; I just pull up to the drive-through, they see me on the camera, and tell ME what I want: chai creme frap, extra ice, double-blended, no whip, with cinnamon on top.  It’s perfect virtually every time.

It wasn’t always this way.  I never stepped foot into a Starbucks until I met the wonderful woman who is now my wife, about 4 years ago.  Our first official date was at a Starbucks.  It was then I was introduced to the beloved Frappuccino.  We have since spent THOUSANDS of $ - on fraps alone.  For the past few years trips to ST have probably averaged every other day.  Until now.

The new “however-you-want-it” Fraps are far from it, especially the chai.  Let me think of an accurate description.  Ah yes, TERRIBLE.  And it’s not just the fact that it has changed.  I mean, they are now just plain DISGUSTING.  Yes, I have been to several ST (in and out of state) and have bothered many a barista with custom variations.  All to no avail.  

I understand what ST is trying (or claiming) to do – to meet a greater range of customer tastes, etc... essentially to build a bigger net.  However, I think you used the core of the net to make the outside bigger, leaving a hole in the middle.  What you’ve done would be like BlueBell offering their varieties of low fat, low sugar, nonfat, sugar-free, or soy-based vanilla ice cream (which they’ve done) but then eliminating their original vanilla masterpiece!

I don’t know about other parts of the country but in the hot south, cold fraps are extremely popular, just like some good ol’ BlueBell.  It’s good you are trying to offer your customers more options.  I’m happy for the people that are now able to get it the way they want.  However, why get rid of the original masterpiece that so many of us loved?  The new frap is a fail...an Epic Fail.

Sorry to offend anyone with my comments.  Here is how this site works.  If someone posts that they don't like the new frappuccino then you vote it up or down and leave a comment on that thread.  You should not just put a new comment.  They look at point totals of the ideas and the higher the points the more the idea is noticed.  I haven't seen a single comment in the idea section about frappuccinos that gets above a 30 or 40.  The ideas that have actions taken on them have reached the 1000 points plus.  You can only vote on an idea once but we will get a better picture of what people think of the new frappuccinos only if these point totals get larger.  I understand the need to give your own personal complaint as an idea but it won't get noticed unless its compiled in one thread.

My mistake, there are some ideas with over 1000 points now.  Maybe we will see a change.  Although I would say with the amount of money invested in this change and the testing done, it will be staying.

Just had the new frappacino(coffee light).  Barista threw it out for me after the first sip - tastes nothing like the old one!  No real coffee flavor - tasted like watered down odd flavored syrup.  She stated they have been having complaints all week.  Guess I'll be saving a lot of money from now on because I won't have to give in to my at least 4 times a week habit!

I feel as though my world stopped the minute I took my first sip of the new frap "however-you-want-it". I disagree that it is 'however-you-want-it'....I don't want the new mix, so IT IS NOT HOWEVER I WANT IT!!!!! It is how you must want your business to be and shut out all your faithful frap drinkers!!! If it was how I wanted it and if you cared you would not take away the original base, but offered the new base to those who 'want it'.

For those with allergies make theirs how they can drink it. What about those who dislike THAT MUCH MILK in a drink?

I had my first visit in SB in April 2008. The barista said, 'well, lets find a drink for you'. She worked and worked with me and finally SOLD ME ON the white mocha frap. Since that day I have been hooked....we purchase 4 a day!!!!! My day just doesn't start off right until I get my first one...then by the evening it is such a refreshing and relaxing time to just get 'my drink' and sigh after a long day. Now I have nightmares wondering how in the world my day can start.....This is a horrible thing. If you don't believe me you should ASK MY FAMILY!!!

I am not asking that you remove your new idea, but I am asking that you bring back your old idea for us 'old faithful' customers. If you really want it to be a 'however-you-want-it' drink...then make it just that.....FOR EVERYONE!!!!!

Please, Please, Please listen to your faithful customers!!!!!

I am thankful for the money I will save, but I am sorry for you for the money you are going to lose as faithful SB frap drinkers will not be going back. I will miss my 'family' that has served me so faithful for the past 2 years.

I just ordered my usual Mocha Lite Frappucino and it was absolutely disgusting.  I visit starbucks twice a day everyday and i pretty much always order the same thing.  So today when I was given my frappucino, I handed it back to the barista because I thought he made it incorrectly.  He then informed me of the new changes and I was appalled.  I can understand making it less fat, but the entire taste is unbearable.  I'm so disappointed with the new changes and definitely will be saving a lot of money by not going to starbucks.  Hopefully the statistics will show that this "new idea" is most definitely a bad one.

Please bring back the old starbucks frappucino!!!!  

I had the new frappuccino it is horrible, and I'm devastated I usually drink one a day.  Now I am in search of a starbucks the still has the old mix, why must they always change a good thing.  Will not be drinking anymore until the old mix comes back!!!!!

I agree with pvacas. I had my first "new" mocha frapp light and ugh!!!!! Amazingly clueless to destroy a great drink and make it taste like chemicals. The clear liquid squirted into the blender cup is just scary...ick!!

I agree the new recipe for the frapps is horrible! I'm really going to miss my daily fix. Guess I can spend the little extra money I had somewhere else. So long Starbucks.

However I want it huh?  OK, I want the original mix back!  The new version is bad, really bad.  Tastes like milk with sugar in it.  The local barista seemed put off by me asking for the original.

After 10+ years of ordering an

before:

Venti 2 shots of espresso, espresso Frappacino double blended

now:

2% skim milk, 2 shots espresso, 2 pumps of coffee roast flavor, 2 pumps of 'thickening agent' (WTF)?

What is the thickening agent made out of and what is the roast coffee flavor? VIA(I abhor) VIA and I absolutely abhor this frap. I cannot even force a smile while drinking it despite several attempts for them to get it right. I have absolutely NO DESIRE to have this nasty taste in my mouth. How can you cure me of my favorite thing EVER?

10 years of having one or two a day and for the past 4 days I have absolutely no desire to even sip my drink. They tried to use "less gum" less whatever garbage makes my drink(NOT COFFEE FLAVORED) but some sort of acrid nasty bitter fake sweetener with ice taste.  My drink sits half full and is not downed in the fast pace that I normally devour my FAVORITE VICE.

Please bring the original back.  I have free coupons I do not even wish to use? I was addicted completely and loyal. The people know me by name & I would even drive an hour away when on vacation!

It is absolutely NASTY. If I wanted my drink to taste like ice burnt nasty coffee I could try to make it at home.

I loved my Starbucks so much I would dress as a Frap Muppet to get my drink back! Please Please PLEASE bring it back.

I have always been able to have my drink customized, this is nothing new? the only thing is new is the nasty flavor.

The Mocha Frap Light is my "happy drink" that I treat myself to several times a week.  I've tried the "new" formula twice, and it is horrible!  Doesn't taste like coffee or chocolate, and has a chalky after taste.  I appreciate being given options, but you've really missed the boat on the flavor.  I hope you reconsider, or I'll have to find a new "happy drink" somewhere else :-(

I was shocked when I tasted the "new" caramel Frap.  It tastes nothing like the original drink.  Tasteless!  I used to have one every day for years and haven't had one since I tasted the new version, which ended up down the drain.  Why change a good thing?  Very disappointed in Starbucks.  Bad idea - go back to your original recipe.  It's been known as one of your most popular drinks  - can't see that continuing.  Horrible mistake on Starbucks part.

I was open-minded.  I tried to "customize" it 4 different times at 4 different Starbucks locations to get it to taste like my old frap.  Blah!!  I'm tired of wasting my money on something that tastes "milky" and bland.  

Just paid off a credit card (seriously) with the money I've saved the past two weeks by not being able to get a frappuccino "how I want it"

Guess there is an upside to this travesty after all...

Jennifer, how can you to call it : "however-you-want-it" when Starbucks cannot have it my simple "old-fashioned-way Grande Coffee Frappuccino with Whipped Cream ?"  You are absolutely ridiculous !  I wonder how  you got your "key" job at Starbucks in the first place ?   How can you not understand that customers get "addicted" to their favorite drinks ?  His is basic girl.  You're losing another $10 a day customer.... I'm so relieved now to see that there are so many other ex-Starbucks customers like me who find the NEW (???!!!) Frap disgusting !  If you were that smart, you would have left the old (delicious) Frap alone and give a completely "NEW" name to your horrible "new" drink.  Bye bye Starbucks.  Hello Peet's Coffee !

I just saw someone's post at another location and it's so funny !  They called the new (disgusting) Frap, the new "Crappuccino !"  

My son's Nestle Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows tastes wayyyyyyyyyyy  better than the new horrible Frap that Starbucks makes.  Too bad there's no coffee in it.

This is such a frustrating situation that Starbucks has put us in.

So.. I left comments here that stated that the old Mocha Frapp recipe was better... Well, I came close to getting the same old taste back, but I had to go through 5-6 rounds of testing with the  Barista.  Here's what finally worked for me:  1 Pump of Mocha, 6 Pumps Coffee,  Lt. Ice, no Whip. The usual recipe is 2 Pumps  of Mocha &  4 pumps of Coffee...

good luck trying to please the others... what a nightmare!

I'm afraid I don't have your patience to try and retry to find the correct mix (if it's not the same ingredients, how can you get the same recipe ???).  For me, "close" is not enough.  Starbucks  has slapped me in the face with their awful new Frap that I cannot make myself go back there.  I will miss my Baristas.

Why change a good thing, the new frap is awful, you lost me as a customer.

This new frap has no zing.  It tastes watered down and lacks the taste of coffee.  Tastes like a processed drink from a corner mart not a high quality coffee beverage from Starbucks.  Starbucks lost our office as customers.  Bring back the old fraps.  Why ruin a good thing.

Wow.  I was shocked reading all these negative comments about the new, light mixture.  I thought I was the only one who hated it!  I used to have a mocha light frap. every single day; I tried the new ones 3 times; now, I'm on the bottled ones from the grocery store --not the same at all!  I think it's great that we're sending the message to Starbucks to go back to the old formula.  By the way, I overhead a barista being told by her manager that this formula is cheaper for Starbucks to make.

Stopped in Hudson, Wi yesterday for a tall mocha frap w/an add shot of espresso & no whip.  I want that espresso to zing me awake.  Wasn't told about my 'new' coffee options until I was at pay window. She goes on to say how everything is changed, texture, formula and oh we don't do espresso add shots anymore...what we can do is add two pumps of espresso/italian roast.  Texture was different alright as too lumpy with ice to get up the straw...looked awful & I feel they must have changed to hershey's syrup long ago (cheap flavor) & the coffee/espresso flavor...couldn't tell at all if there was coffee in it at all...too sweet, too watery. I was extremely disappointed, but the nearest garbage container I tossed it in I am sure enjoyed the remainder of the drink.  It is too bad that they were all about what you CAN'T have anymore. I want that over the top espresso flavor back.. I agree even old ones could be less sweeter but this was plain cheap and awful.  I told my husband guess this is my sign to cut down on coffee since there is no reason to stop anymore.....

Hey Jennifer !  The "Product manager for Frappuccino® Blended Beverages."  Yes, you.  Since the negative comments have appeared on this blog, we haven't heard from you at all...

I can't tell you how upset I was today when I literally threw $4 into the trash as a dumped an undrinkable grande frap, and this was after they had remade my first one.  I had been looking forward to a mocha frap lite all morning and went in to get one on my break from work (I work with 4 year olds and some days I desperately need my coffee).  I took one drink, turned to the barista and said "I believe you forgot the mocha in my frap".  Imagine my dismay when she uttered the words "we've changed the recipe".  She attempted to make another one for me, closer to what the original one tasted like (which was money out of your pocket as the first one was a total waste) and the second one tasted absolutely disgusting.  There was very little flavor, and a horrible artificially sweet aftertaste. Starbucks fraps are the only coffee I drink because I'm not a huge fan of coffee.  Congratulations, you have successfully cut off my only source of coffee.  I find it hard to believe that with all the negative comments that have surfaced recently, you actually spent time testing this new product with with masses.  If something's not broke, don't fix it! Maybe Starbucks is trying to reach a larger audience by offering fewer calories in fraps, but by trying to reach a larger group, you are significantly reducing the number of people who were already drinking your product.  I'm pretty sure Starbucks just shot itself in the foot with this asinine move.  If you truly want to reach the masses, bring back the original method in addition to this new crap and give us a choice.  You can add me to the list of people who will no longer be drinking Starbucks unless the original recipe is brought back.  Oh, and while you're at it, bring back the coconut flavoring, please.  I know I'm not the only one out there who misses the mocha coconut frap.

I been a loyal customer of Starbucks since 2005. Everyday, I would buy a Grand MOCHA FRAP. Sometimes, I would go twice a day. I would have to say that Starbucks cost me a min. of $1592.50 a year and that is not counting my second trips on Weds, Sat, and Sun. I tasted the NEW recipe and i HATE IT! I never had returned a frapuchino in my life and I returned it 2 times. I kept on driving back to get it just right. I decided that I will not spend 4.55 on the new and disenchanting frapuchino until they bring the recipe back. Sad to say but on MAY is "THEY DAY the FRAPUCHINO DIED." My wallet is going somewhere else now because there is no reason to visit a starbucks anymore. Please bring back the orginal frapuchino like Coca Cola brought back Coke Classic.

@mangito81,

That's exactly what I said to my wife earlier this evening after tasting a new, "better" frapp for the first time today.  This is just like when Coca Cola screwed up when they introduced New Coke.  It was not the same, did not taste as good, and was discontinued when sales plummeted.  Starbucks is in for a rude awakening if they think that long-time customers will go along with this.

I am a total once-or-twice a day frappacino addict...rather I was...Today was the third time I tired this new version and it will be the last time...It is simply vile stuff...Now I don't even want to switch to another type of Starbuck's drink as this "let's change the frap" decision was a  huge buzz killer...

Just heard there is now gluten in the light Fraps. Why???? Starbucks  just lost a lot of business from the gluten-free community....too bad.

Went to the local Starbucks yesterday to get my favorite chai Frappuccino, and couldn't believe when the barista handed me a ghostly pale imitation that tasted like watered down milk!  I told him there had been some mistake, but he informed me that this was indeed the new Frappuccino recipe.  I got my money back and left disappointed.  On the one hand, I'll save money and calories by not drinking all those Frappuccinos, but on the other hand, I'll miss the times we spent in SB relaxing and enjoying our treats.  

Sorry Starbucks, but the new Frappuccino recipe is BAD!!  There are two beverages I usually order at your shops, and now you've eliminated one of them.  (The most expensive one, too!)  It's too bad that Starbucks does not respect their loyal customers who have been the engine driving their success for all these years.  In a misguided attempt to boost their profits and bring in new business, Starbucks is alienating longtime fans like us.  Good-bye Starbucks!  There're lots of places to get coffee and coffee-drinks these days, and its about time we tried one of them.  

I want to like the new Frapps- and have tried a few times.They taste like a chocolate milkshake-where is the coffee?I feel this is to compete with McDonalds drink-but why?You invented the frapp- own it.I also noticed a real backup in the line as the baristas try to make these now. Why not offer the old style for those who want it (and keep us loyal 1-2 frapp a day customers) and offer the new version for those who want a specialty drink. It seems this would be a win-win solution for everyone, and there would be no loss in revenue to your stores. It costs a lot more for a company to make a new loyal customer, than to keep a current base of loyals. please do not take away our drink-my best solution to all you other frapp drinkers is to buy the Mr Coffee frappe maker- and make your own.They are not as good as the original frapps from starbucks-but they are way better than the new version.There is still 1 store in my area making my favorite version.After that-it will be Mr Coffee for me.

I used to spend $80 a month on my favorite drink, the mocha frap. I just loved it in every way. The new frap is, in a word, horrible. It is watery, weak, without flavor except for a syrup after taste. So, I stopped going to Starbucks and do I ever miss my baristas. Common sense would tell one that having both available would keep everyone happy. How about "Classic Frap" for the old one and Your Way frap for the new one plus you have the marketing advantage of crowing about how you actually listen to your customers. If we stop going to Starbucks for our favorite, then we aren't there to buy other things. It's like a house of cards. Remember the "new coke"? Time to declare a corporate "my bad" and listen to the customers. We know what we like and we speak with our pocket books...and billfolds.

Wow!  It is hard to believe that the above complainers about the new "however you want it frappuccino" in their need to complain and moan about the change in a drink - haven't realized that it IS a customizable drink!  If the one you ordered is not like the old frapp then adjust the components to make it taste like the old frapp that you liked so much.  Really folks - I too am a coffee snob and when they switched last year to using 2% milk in all the drinks as a norm - I couldn't figure out what was wrong with my Pumpkin Spiced Latte.  Then I had an idea - why not ask what was different - and then I found out that the milk they use went from whole milk to 2% - when I found that out I was able to order my PSL with whole milk insted of 2% - what a concept!  Not to mention that with the concept of the new frapp - not only can you play with the content of the drink to make it like the old frapp - who knows if you branch out a bit you might even find a NEW FRAPP you like even better - with all of the choices you now have the possibilities are endless!  I am so glad they have changed the frapp program - I didn't drink them that much before - but I have tried the new frapp and I think it is wonderful!  I love the idea of my young children being able to order one now that the option of no caffiene is available - and they love that they can order one too!  It is hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that so many people use this forum to not just register their complaints about the product - which is fine - but they are beating the pulp out of it and making it into an attack of sorts.  Really - it is a drink for goodness sake!  Be open to the idea of change being a positive thing in life - it really can be!  All of you negitive Nelly's above - seeing so much negativity and angst over a drink is disheartning - you are that upset over a drink?  Try to take a postive approach to this situation and try to come up with a combination that you like insted of just being so darn negative about it - I have a feeling you may even feel better in the end!  

I dont care that it is customizable, it is NASTY! My daughters and I have been faithful 2x week patrons for over 4 years. We always got the java chip lite frappucinos. We've tried it twice so far and Im sorry but I am not spending $3.75 for a drink that makes me wanna puke! The aftertaste is beyond disgusting.

PLEASE Starbucks, listen to your faithful customers and bring back the old recipe. Until then you've lost 3 more loyal customers!

It is interesting to me that some of the above people say that the new frapp tastes NASTY - it is made out of ALL natural ingredients now where the old frapp was a premixed liquid.  hmmmm - how does that work?

I'm very disappointed to learn that the light mixes have been reformulated to contain gluten?  I always thought of Starbucks as a company that was sensitive to the concerns of the (large) gluten free community, but now it doesn't seem like that is the case.  I am disappointed that I will no longer be able to order these, and probably won't be visiting Starbucks anymore.

I was disappointed that the lite frapaccino has gluten in the syrup mix! This came on the first day of Gluten Awareness Month! I hope you post signs that say it has gluten now -- the discomfort from eating gluten can be horrible, not to mention what it does to us internally.

Jennifer K....Good Afternoon...I am a gold card member and have a family member who LOVES another vendor's "sugar free" iced Mocha blended....I have spent, literally a couple hours scouring the ads that have arrived in my email and been on the site trying to make it our way as the ad describes...but there are absolutely no options for iced sugar-free fraps....so much for the "have it your way" concept for those of us who can't have sugar....3 in my firm plus one in my family.  So, today while I was at the Mercer Island store I inquired about all this and was told there will not be any "sugar free" fraps and that I need to write and complain.  So I have done that.... next, I found this blog and somewhere in all of these threads, I have just read that the Fraps CAN be ordered Light and made with (a natural sweetner from nature called)STEVIA? Is this true?  If so you would be doing your customers and yourselves a big favor by letting us know!!  We regularly use Stevia for reasons previously explained and having this natural option is something that you should be PROMOTING, not hiding!

I hope it is true and I will most definitely, as one of your gold-card members...be checking  this out....and if it is true? Seriously consider letting all the people who are diabetic and or those who are looking for natural alternatives to sugar in on this secret...oh, and it would be nice to let your baristas on Mercer Island know as well.  Thanks...all the best.

I am a fan of the old Carmel Frap.  Since the changes have taken place I have tried the new recipe.   The taste of the new recipe leaves that same artificial sweetner taste that all diet products have. That has always been such a nasty taste to me! Stevia does not taste just like sugar! What about those of us that enjoyed the taste of the high fructose corn syrup? Who at Starbucks decided that all of their customers should reduce the amount of sugar in their diet and switch to a "healthier" beverage.  Is it that the group of customers that enjoyed the old recipe don't matter to Starbucks.  Perhaps Starbucks has grown too confident in their success.  Shouldn't having it customizable include the choice to have the beverage prepared without the nasty diet taste?

I have tried the new and will be finding a replacement for the simple pleasure I used to enjoy!  On a positive note....it will save me quite a bit of money! :)

Please bring back the mix!  The new version is horrible, virtually tasteless.  There was no sign or anything at the SB we went to in NYC yesterday explaining the change.   We travel a lot and always knew that a Frappuccino in any other country would taste exactly the same as at our local SB.  Yesterday both of ours tasted different and they were made by the same Barista!  He was happy to remake them for us but they were still terrible.  Such a disappointment.   Caramel Frappuccino is the only thing my husband will drink from SB and he has sworn them off for good now.  I guess we too will be spending our money elsewhere from now on.  

I have heard that the Java Chips in the frap has gluten in it. Is this true? Also does the vanilla bean powder contain gluten? In the old mix I am almost positive it did, but I am not sure if the new formula does. Thank you!!

I shied away from Starbucks when they took the decaf option away from fraps.  I understand that is coming back now, but that the new base for the light fraps have gluten in them.  Nutritional info is posted for the drinks, but not ingredient information.  Can this info be added to the website?  I have recently discovered I'm sensitive to gluten and upon hearing that there may be gluten in the base, it makes me want to take my money elsewhere.  

klm7099 - am i the only one that read your post?

while i respect everyone that is super passionate about the 'old' recipe, it was filled with ingredients that were pretty darn unhealthy. it's your call whether you loved it or not, but it is indeed funny to see a company getting killed for actually putting in fresh ingredients and reducing high fructose corn syrup.

i'm in the camp of people that have actually increased their spend with sbux as a result of the new fraps being available (soy mocha lite is my new favorite drink) and i applaud any company that gives me an option to treat myself, but to do it in at least a vaguely healthy way.

oldfrapfan - i'm new to these sites, but your posts seem to be tilting toward being plain mean and personal.  is that really your goal?

Let me start out by saying that I have never been a Frappuccino everyday type person. But I did enjoy them once in a while, when I had the funds. I probably had one at least once a week back when I was living within a block of one (about two years ago). Today I was finally able to get out during Happy Hour so I decided to get one. I wanted to get some kind of Vanilla/Caramel mix, but the options seemed confusing and the Starbucks I was at had no mention of Vanilla syrup, so I gave up and ordered my normal Grande Caramel Frap...or so I thought. Before this I had no idea our traditional favorites had changed. I figured customization was added and new, but if I asked for what I always get it would be the same as always. It wasn't! I noticed immediately how terrible it tasted compared to my old favorite. I could hardly taste the coffee in it. I'm not even a big fan of coffee, but I liked the blend of it in the old Caramel Fraps and that just wasn't there. Instead, the frap was almost sickeningly sweet, probably due to the caramel with not enough strong coffee flavor to balance it and apparently no frap mix. Also, I did not get mine half price as far as I could tell. It was 3:45pm and I bought one for me and one for my girlfriend. I understand now that maybe each customer can only get one discounted. But it came to over $8, which seems very high if one of the fraps was discounted. I don't believe either were. The ads and almost every report of this I've found lead us to believe all fraps should be discounted during these hours, but perhaps this location was only discounting the three new ones in the sign? They did have a happy hour sign.

Anyway, I was so disturbed by the taste of my frappuccino that I googled this whole thing to get to the bottom of it. Now I come to find that if I want something close to my old taste back I'd have to get a no coffee base and add 3 shots of expresso, which, whether or not they are supposed to, will add $0.70 each to my bill. $7 for my favorite frap is not at all worth it. I'm sorry to say, but unless I get a craving for a Vanilla Bean frap or one of the others that doesn't have coffee (so the coffee wouldn't be an issue), I won't be coming to Starbucks for my drink needs any time soon. The Iced Vanilla Coffees at a certain other place are way cheaper and taste better to me than this new frap ever will. I will miss the Caramel Fraps though...they were so good!

On a side note, my girlfriend ordered a Mocha Frap and couldn't tell the difference. I've never liked the Mocha Fraps but even I could tell hers too was different when I tasted it. Maybe the difference isn't obvious to some people, but it is to me, and it's not a good difference.

So, Starbucks, I'll see you around. Still love your pastries and other yummy snacks (got a croisant today and loved it!), but I'll skip on the fraps. At least I'll save money.

I have not been to Starbucks in almost three weeks, and I had gone into Starbucks to get my normal Carmel Frappucino and about spit it out because it tasted terrible. I do have a sweet tooth, but it was as though I was drinking blended coffee rather than my normal sugary carmel indulgence.

I went in to see what had made it taste that way, and was told that it was the first day they were doing Frappucinos in the new "however-you-want-it" way. My barista graciously blended it two additional times in hopes of finding a recipe that was delicious, and while I appreciate her help and patience, I ended up just asking for my money back.

No matter how many times she blended it, the coffee was overwhelmingly the bulk of the bitter drink, and the caramel a subtle, barely-tasted undertone. Why would I drink a Caramel Frappucino if it tastes like a Coffee Frappucino? I don't like the coffee version, which is why I drink caramel ones.

To see if this was an issue in one store, I went to another one, and had the same result.

Since then, I'd rather not bother with Starbucks anymore since my favorite drink has become nothing except something that tastes gross and not even remotely like the way it was before. I sincerely hope Starbucks would offer the old version for those who feel likewise to me (as many seem to do; several most of my friends have likewise stopped buying Frapps here due to this), as I don't think I'll be going back until something like that happens.