June 08--Starbucks is tempting Frappuccino fans with six new offerings it's calling "fan flavors" as the coffee giant aims to perk up summer sales of the blended drinks.
Frappuccinos have been available nationally since 1995. Back then, there were only two flavors: Coffee and Mocha.
The six flavors introduced Monday are: Red Velvet Cake, Cotton Candy, Cinnamon Roll, Lemon Bar, Caramel Cocoa Cluster and Cupcake.
Some of the drinks may seem familiar to patrons who already customize their Frappuccino orders. For example, the Cotton Candy Frappuccino is a standard Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino with raspberry syrup added. The Cupcake Frappuccino, meanwhile, adds hazelnut syrup to the Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino.
Grande-sized versions of the new drinks, at $4.75, carry up to 510 calories based on the chain's standard recipes, including whipped cream and whole milk. The lowest-calorie option is the Lemon Bar Frappuccino, with 350 calories, while the Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino has 510 calories.
Starbucks said customers can vote online from June 19 to 30 for their favorite new flavor. The winning one will be sold at a discounted price of $3 for a grande 2-5 p.m. on July 3-6.
jwohl@tribpub.com
