Earlier this year, the Chinese authorities launched their campaign for “weight management year” at the annual Two Sessions. The food and beverage industry, especially the stereotypically high-calorie Chinese tea and coffee chains, has moved to prove how healthy they are with either new categories of offerings or a lighter version of their drinks. Now, their international competitor, Starbucks, has finally made a move by releasing sugar-free syrups in China.
On 6 April, the American coffee chain Starbucks announced the grand launch of its “Sugar-free Flavours” (真味无糖) syrups, meaning you can have all the flavour with no added sugar in your hazelnut latte or mixed berry Americanos. On Weibo, China’s Twitter equivalent, the topic “Starbucks sugar-free new era” reached number 41 on the Hot Search list, with a whopping 110 million views.
In the meantime, the coffee giant also launched its “West Lake Flavour Coffee Festival” (西湖风味咖啡节) in Hangzhou, which will be available to all visitors until 28 April. From hidden menus to parties, coffee lovers in Zhejiang City can have their own tasting sessions and fun at the festival. For the event, Starbucks has also introduced its latest “R&D team member”, Xionglinger (熊灵儿), a bear mascot that doesn’t look much like a “Bearista” but more like Disney’s LinaBell.
Starbucks has been heavy on activations in China this year. From its Snoopy and Lululemon collaborations to its “partner”-centric ESG campaign, the American chain is eager to appeal to Chinese coffee lovers in the face of fierce local competition from Luckin and Cotti Coffee. With the latest push of sugar-free syrups, Starbucks is now becoming more localised than ever.
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