The coffeehouse chain has found a heartwarming way for us to all be a Santa this Christmas.

As we inch ever closer to Christmas, Starbucks is one step ahead of us, revealing today their first Frappuccino of the holiday season.

Called the Strawberry & Velvet Brownie Frappuccino, the new beverage highlights the red-and-white hues of the season, an auspicious colour combination in Japan, and is based around the theme of “Let’s Be A Santa!”

▼ The icy Frappuccino (pictured front) will be on the menu for 690 yen (US$4.72)

Designed to replicate the flavour of a red velvet cake, the limited-time beverage contains a whole chocolate-flavoured brownie, dispersed through the creamy base in chunky pieces. A bright red strawberry glaçage sauce is added to the mix, with swirls of it cascading over the whipped cream topping as well, alongside a scattering of white chocolate pieces.

As always, the cold beverage will be accompanied by a warmer version, and this year they’ll be adding a festive twist to the chain’s regular cafe mocha with strawberry glaçage sauce, which adds a fruity lift to the coffee-based drink, and a topping of red velvet brownie crumbs.

▼ The latte will retail for 540-680 yen, from Short through to Venti sizes, and like the Frappuccino, will be available until 29 November.

Three other hot drinks will be returning to the menu this year due to popular demand: the Gingerbread Latte, which tastes like gingerbread cookies; the Joyful Medley Tea Latte, a blend of black and oolong tea, and the Creme Brulee Latte, which is topped with sugar to replicate the burnt top of a crème brulee.

▼ Left to right: Gingerbread Latte (priced from 501-640 yen), Creme Brulee Latte (520-660 yen), and Joyful Medley Tea Latte (445-585 yen),
all on the menu from 1 November to 25 December.

Starbucks hopes the entire lineup of drinks will capture the spirit of the holidays and bring a smile to customers’ faces. It’s not just customers who’ll benefit from the drinks, though, as the chain says a portion of sales will be used to donate Starbucks food and items to the National Children’s Cafeteria Support Centre, an NPO that helps to feed young children.

This “Be A Santa Donation Program” is at the heart of the “Let’s Be A Santa!” theme underpinning this year’s holiday releases. So when you purchase any of the drinks, you’ll be helping to bring a smile to someone else through your order, which is a win-win for everyone this Christmas.

Source, images: Starbucks Japan 
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