Starbucks Korea said Wednesday that cold brew sales have risen amid a record-breaking heat wave.
Comparing beverage sales from July 27 to Aug. 2 against the previous week (July 20–26), cold brew posted the largest growth of any category, with sales up more than 30 percent.
Cold brew demand typically climbs in summer as temperatures rise. Starbucks attributed the category's strong performance to its new Coco Cold Brew, launched July 27.
The Coco Cold Brew combines coconut water — rich in electrolytes — with Starbucks cold brew, and contains 75 kilocalories in a tall size. The Sea Salt Caramel Cold Brew, introduced in June, has also surpassed 10 million cumulative cups sold this year since its 2023 debut. Starbucks cold brew is made by slowly steeping African and Latin American beans at low temperatures for 20 hours.
Refresher beverages were the next best performer, with sales up more than 20 percent week over week. Starbucks launched two new additions to the line last month — the Pink Peach Refresher and the Pink Peach Coconut Refresher.
"As the heat wave continues, demand for light beverages has risen sharply, and we are seeing strong sales in the cold brew category, which is known for its clean, smooth finish," said Choi Hyun-jeong, Starbucks Korea's head of food and beverage development.
gorgeous@heraldcorp.com
