Starbucks releases spooky Halloween items ahead of holiday menu launch

Starbucks has already announced its winter menu, but it just launched a spooky surprise.

The coffee giant enlisted Salem, the cat from “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” for help creating new Halloween items.

 

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On Thursday, Starbucks released the Black Cat Frappuccino Blended Beverage and the Venti Black Night Cookie, according to a company news release.

“The Black Cat Frappuccino Blended Beverage is a purr-fect Halloween treat, combining a rich cocoa flavor with a Creme Frappuccino beverage to create decadent brownie-like notes, topped with whipped cream and chocolatey cat ears,” Starbucks stated.

Participating coffeehouses are serving the festive drink exclusively in a grande size.

Meanwhile, the cookie is made with dark chocolate cookie dough, caramel fudge pieces, and chunks of caramelized white chocolate.

Starbucks said Salem will share more in the coming days on the company’s social channels.

Starbucks holiday menu arrives Nov. 5 with new tiramisu drinks

Last week, the company announced its holiday menu, but the new lineup won’t be available at coffeehouses until Nov. 5.

Most notably, Starbucks is coming out with two new tiramisu drinks: the Tiramisu Velvet Latte and Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew. The company is also producing new food and holiday merchandise.

Red Cup Day and the Bearista cold cups will return later this season, but Starbucks has yet to announce dates.

Speculation was swirling that the coffee giant was looking to buy Chipotle, but it was confirmed on Oct. 12 that it will not be acquiring the Mexican grill.

Starbucks turnaround brings multiple rounds of Washington store closures

The seasonal launch comes amid broader changes at Starbucks as CEO Brian Niccol pursues the company’s “Back to Starbucks” turnaround. In September, the company announced approximately 250 North American store closures, following 627 closures the previous year.

Washington has been affected by multiple rounds of closures, including five more announced last month. Earlier this year, Starbucks confirmed plans to close five Seattle locations, including stores at Seattle Children’s Hospital, on University Way Northeast and on Harrison Street.

Those Seattle closures were scheduled for early April. At the time, a spokesperson said Starbucks regularly reviews whether its coffeehouses meet customers’ needs, sometimes investing in updates or trying new formats.

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