Starbucks Korea launches campaign to celebrate 25th anniversary

Starbucks Korea is launching the Festival for All promotional event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its operations in the nation, the coffee giant announced Thursday.

This seven-day event kicks off Friday and features new food and beverage products from overseas branches.

For beverages, the company will showcase its French vanilla latte and "The Melon Of Melon Frappuccino," initially launched in the US and Japan, respectively. The French vanilla latte includes two shots of blonde espresso, while the Japanese frappuccino, a bestseller in Japan for 2023, features cantaloupe melon chunks and whipped cream.

In addition to the global beverages, Starbucks Korea will also introduce a new honey-blended beverage made with grapefruit harvested on Jeju Island.

Throughout the promotional event, a range of exclusive items, spanning from tumblers, dolls and plates to premium coffee beans, will be available at branches nationwide. Additionally, customers who order the new beverages will receive three additional mileage points.

Starbucks Korea began its operations in July 1999, with its first branch opening in front of Ewha Womans University in western Seoul.

Initially, Starbucks Korea was established with funding from the Korean retail giant Shinsegae and Starbucks' US headquarters, each investing 10 billion won ($7.23 million).

In 2021, Shinsegae became the largest shareholder by acquiring an additional 17.5 percent stake from the US headquarters. The remaining 32.5 percent stake held by the US headquarters was transferred to the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund, GIC Private Limited.

As of February, the number of Starbucks branches in Korea has grown to 1,893, making it the fourth-largest market for the global coffee brand, following the US with 16,466 branches, China with 6,975 and Japan with 1,901.