Starbucks Rekindles the Spirit of the Holiday Season

New Starbucks VIA® Peppermint Mocha Flavored Coffee, Starbucks® Christmas Blend Blonde Roast and Rodarte designer collection debut alongside returning seasonal favorites

SEATTLE - Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) today celebrates the launch of the holiday season in Starbucks stores nationwide. To rekindle the spirit of the season, Starbucks invites customers to bring a friend to participating stores in the U.S. on Nov. 15-18 from 2-5 p.m. to receive a free beverage when purchasing a holiday beverage of equal or greater value. Beverages include hot, iced or blended versions of Peppermint Mocha, Skinny Peppermint Mocha, Gingerbread Latte, Eggnong Latte and Caramel Brulée Latte.

“This season is always a festive time of year as our stores turn red, signaling the start of holiday cheer at Starbucks,” said Cliff Burrows, president, Americas, Starbucks Coffee Company. “It is the perfect time to rekindle connections with those we may have lost touch with and celebrate these cherished moments of being together. This year, we have a wide range of curated merchandise for everyone on your holiday shopping list as well as premium tastes of the season, including Starbucks® renowned hand-crafted holiday beverages and whole bean coffees that deliver the magic of the season.”

Enjoy Starbucks® Seasonal Holiday Coffees at Home or On-The-Go

For Starbucks, the holidays are a time to rekindle with sweet traditions rooted in more than four decades of passion for coffee. Back for its 28th year, Starbucks® Christmas Blend returns today as one of the most beloved coffees in Starbucks portfolio. Customers can also celebrate the holidays on a light and cheerful note with new Starbucks® Christmas Blend Blonde Roast available at participating stores in the U.S. and Canada. This blend of Latin American and aged Sumatran beans are roasted on a unique, shorter roast time developed by Starbucks master roasters to bring out the warm, woodsy aromas and flavors of brown sugar, sweet oranges and allspice—which perfectly complement sparkling conversation and sweet holiday treats. Starbucks® Christmas Blend is available in decaf, ground and for the first time, VerismoTM pods and Starbucks K-Cup® packs. Also returning this season for a limited time is Starbucks® Christmas Blend Espresso Roast, Starbucks® Holiday Blend and Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew Christmas Blend– the perfect gift for any holiday host or hostess. For those on-the-go this holiday season, customers can now enjoy the taste of Starbucks signature Peppermint Mocha handcrafted beverage anywhere with new Starbucks VIA® Peppermint Mocha Flavored Coffee.

Savor Each Moment with Starbucks® Holiday Beverages

Starbucks delicious holiday treats and the much-anticipated return of the handcrafted holiday beverages make Starbucks the perfect place to indulge, reminisce and make new memories this season. Returning for its 15th holiday this year, Starbucks® iconic red cup signals the arrival of the holidays and time to rekindle the spirit of the season. It also brings the beloved Starbucks® holiday beverages available hot, iced or blended, including:

• Caramel Brulée Latte – Featuring a combination of espresso and steamed milk flavored with rich caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream and sweet, crunchy caramel brulée topping, this beverage is a holiday show stopper.
• Gingerbread Latte – Enjoy the flavor of freshly baked gingerbread combined with espresso and steamed milk. Topped with whipped cream and ground nutmeg, this latte is sure to take you on a trip down memory lane to holidays past, and satisfy any sweet tooth.
• Peppermint Mocha – If peppermint is your choice, enjoy holiday flavor in full effect with the Peppermint Mocha, a combination of espresso, steamed milk, bittersweet mocha sauce and peppermint syrup. Topped with a fluffy cloud of whipped cream and dark chocolate curls, this beverage is just too good to resist.
• Skinny Peppermint Mocha – Featuring a combination of espresso, steamed nonfat milk, sugar-free bittersweet mocha sauce and sugar-free peppermint syrup, the Skinny Peppermint Mocha provides a light twist on a sweet treat, 100 calories for a Tall (12 fl oz.) beverage.
• Eggnog Latte – Savor Starbucks wildly popular interpretation of holiday eggnog! Featuring a combination of espresso mixed with rich steamed eggnog, and topped with whipped cream and ground nutmeg, this is a perfect choice for a crisp winter morning or cozy afternoon.

Spread the Cheer with Perfect Gifts for Everyone

Starbucks continues its tradition of being the perfect destination for holiday gifting needs—from festive stocking stuffers like the Reusable Cup Sleeve or Gold Cup Ornament, hostess gifts that spread the holiday cheer such as the Advent Calendar, Merry Moments Hot Cocoa Kit and Cake Pop Kit, to special presents for coffee and tea lovers like the Verismo® System by Starbucks, Pour Over Kit and Tazo® Tea Sampler.

Starbucks is also debuting a special collection of limited-edition pieces exclusively designed for Starbucks by fashion house Rodarte. The Rodarte for Starbucks collection includes beautifully designed, unique pieces perfect to give and get this holiday season including a Designer Tumbler, Reusable Cup Sleeve, Tote Bag and Starbucks Card, available at participating Starbucks retail locations in the U.S. and Canada and www.starbucksstore.com.

For gifts that everyone will enjoy, give the gift of a Starbucks Experience with the new Mini Moments book of five beautifully designed $5 Starbucks Cards. Or send a special gift to a loved one with just the click of a button with Starbucks Card eGift (https://www.starbucks.com/shop/card/egift). To learn more about the holiday experience at Starbucks, please visit www.starbucks.com/rekindle.

About Starbucks Corporation

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.