What is street coffee culture's take on the Pink Drink launch?

Starbucks is expected to bring Pink Drink to mainland China between late May and early June, according to Reuters, alongside a sister drink called Strawberry Lemon Refresher. Pink Drink uses coconut milk and tastes like strawberry yogurt; the lemon version is tarter and lighter. Both already launched in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan last July.

The drink began in 2016 as a fan-made secret menu order and joined the official US menu in May 2017, then spread overseas in spring 2018. Ordering tips circulating online include less ice, less coconut milk and adjusted sugar. The official Chinese name has not been announced, so the launch details may still shift for street coffee and coffee knowledge followers.

After years of waiting, Starbucks fans are finally getting Pink Drink in the mainland market! According to Reuters, this globally popular pink beverage is expected to launch between late May and early June this year, alongside its sister drink, "Strawberry Lemon Refresher." Pink Drink features coconut milk, with a rich taste reminiscent of strawberry yogurt; Strawberry Lemon Refresher is based on lemon juice, offering a refreshing tartness. Both products already launched in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan last July. This article walks you through Pink Drink's rise to fame, its launch timeline, and a roundup of taste-test ordering tips from netizens around the world, including practical suggestions like less ice, less coconut milk, and sugar adjustments, so you can get the perfect cup right from day one.

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Reuters reports that Pink Drink is expected to officially enter the mainland market in late May or early June this year, though the official name has not yet been announced. However, this beverage already launched in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan last July, where it is called "Pink Strawberry Refresher."

Other reports indicate that launching alongside Pink Drink is its sister product, "Strawberry Lemon Refresher." The biggest difference between the two: Pink Drink uses coconut milk as its base, making it richer and closer in flavor to strawberry yogurt; while Strawberry Lemon Refresher features lemon juice, with higher acidity and an overall crisper, more refreshing feel.

The origin of this internet-famous drink can be traced back to 2016. Initially, Pink Drink was just a "custom recipe" that Starbucks fans tried on their own, and it was later widely shared on social platforms as a secret menu item.

Unexpectedly, the demand for Pink Drink kept climbing, with a large number of users eager to try it, and the rapidly rising popularity soon caught the attention of Starbucks officially.

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In May 2017, Starbucks announced that Pink Drink would be added to the official menu at its US stores, completing a "mutual embrace" between the brand and its fans; in spring 2018, this beverage began expanding beyond the US, appearing at Starbucks stores in Canada and other North American markets.

By 2022, multiple markets in Asia had also rolled out Pink Drink one after another. No matter which region it launched in, it won consumers' favor and thus became a permanent fixture at Starbucks stores in many places.

Yet when it comes to this drink that has gone viral across the internet, Starbucks in the mainland has been slow to act... Many netizens have been watching with anxiety!

From a niche "secret menu" item to a star product pursued by fans worldwide, Pink Drink's unique charm is evident. As for the news that it will soon launch in the mainland, netizens can hardly wait, with many "complaining" about why Starbucks China didn't make this decision sooner.

Regarding how to order the two Refreshers, netizens from various countries have also summed up a set of tips. The most commonly reported issue is that too much ice easily dilutes the drink quickly, so the general recommendation is to choose less ice.

Additionally, the original Pink Drink recipe uses a fairly large amount of coconut milk, which can taste a bit heavy; if you want a more refreshing taste, you can choose less coconut milk.

As for its sister drink, since it is mainly based on lemon juice, its overall acidity is relatively high, so when trying it for the first time, it's not recommended to choose less sugar—it's best to try the original flavor first before deciding whether to adjust the sugar level.

Image source: Internet, Starbucks

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.