Starbucks customers in the UK bought 75,000 Unicorn Frappuccino® Blended Beverages in three days, as the limited-edition drink made its first UK appearance from 15 to 17 August. At its peak, 111 were sold every minute.
A Unicorn Cake Pop was sold alongside it, with 44,000 bought over the same three days.
Part of a global return
The UK launch was part of a wider global return for the drink, and Starbucks also reported record sales across its company-operated coffeehouses in North America over the same weekend. In the UK, the drink followed what the company described as a strong summer, including its strongest-ever sales week in July.
Sam Henderson, senior manager of beverage R&D at Starbucks EMEA, said the company had noticed that nostalgia for the mid-2010s was on the rise, and looked at how it could meaningfully amplify that with the Unicorn Frappuccino®.
“Listening to our fans is critically important to our success at Starbucks and we are increasingly finding that limited-edition drops are driving excitement for the brand. The Unicorn Frappuccino® delivered exactly that – it’s instantly recognisable, highly Instagrammable and tapped into the nostalgia we’re seeing for the mid-2010s. The response has been incredible, with the launch delivering the best-performing post in the history of the Starbucks UK Instagram account – and sales that exceeded our expectations”
Vic Robertson
Marketing Director, Starbucks UK
Ube, banana and protein foam
Limited-edition and returning drinks are part of Starbucks’ Back to Starbucks strategy, which includes responding to emerging customer and cultural trends. Other UK launches this year have included Ube, Caramelised Banana and Protein Cold Foam, reflecting flavours, formats and demand gaining attention online, and the brand has also hosted a Devil Wears Prada pop-up in Soho.
According to Starbucks, seasonal beverages accounted for 10% of its total UK sales last year, and customers are currently ordering protein beverages at twice the rate of English Breakfast Tea. The Unicorn Frappuccino® was available for its planned three days, with the UK launch ending on 17 August.
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