How does Starbucks classic coffee syrup system change sweetness?

Starbucks China has rolled out a True Flavor, Zero Sugar system nationwide, splitting classic flavor syrups into zero-sugar flavor concentrates and separate original syrups so flavor and sweetness can be adjusted independently. Two new flavors, Berry Berry and Pandan, were added. Stores were told to destroy old-version syrup stock after closing on the 7th, pouring vanilla, hazelnut, and salted caramel down the drain.

Previously, when a customer asked for less syrup because a drink was too sweet, the signature flavor weakened too, and lower-sweetness orders often ended up tasting flat. The new setup separates those two variables. The sudden swap marks a new era of customization for the chain, while for many baristas it marks the end of a familiar routine.

Starbucks China recently announced the launch of its "True Flavor, Zero Sugar" innovation system across stores nationwide, splitting classic flavor syrups into zero-sugar flavor concentrates and separate original syrups, allowing flavor and sweetness to be customized independently, and adding two new flavors, "Berry Berry" and "Pandan." However, with the rollout of the new policy, employees at stores nationwide were required to centrally destroy old-version syrup inventory after closing on the 7th, with classic flavors such as vanilla, hazelnut, and salted caramel poured down the drain. This sudden "one-size-fits-all" syrup swap marks both the beginning of a new era of flavor customization at Starbucks and, for many baristas, the end of an era.

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It is understood that Starbucks in China is about to fully implement a "syrup revolution," and the sweetness-adjustment method familiar to consumers will become history today, replaced by the "True Flavor, Zero Sugar" concentrate series.

Anyone who regularly drinks Starbucks knows that, whether for new releases or classics, the flavor of many coffees mainly comes from various flavored syrups, and the intensity depends on how much syrup is added. In other words, if a customer asks the staff to use less syrup because it is too sweet, the coffee's signature flavor will also become weaker. But in today's era that prizes low sugar, more and more people are proactively asking for lower sweetness out of health considerations, only to often end up with a cup of coffee that "has no taste," which has earned Starbucks quite a few complaints.

To accommodate customers who want flavor but fear sweetness, Starbucks came up with a new approach: separate flavor from syrup and let consumers mix it themselves.

Yesterday, Starbucks China announced that starting today it will officially roll out the "True Flavor, Zero Sugar" innovation system at stores nationwide, splitting the original classic flavor syrups into two—zero-sugar flavor concentrates and separate original syrups—so that flavor and sweetness each mind their own business, ushering in an era in which both flavor and sweetness can be customized. At the same time, to enrich the choices, Starbucks China also launched two new flavors, "Berry Berry" and "Pandan."

Simply put, starting today when ordering at Starbucks, products including flavored beverages and classic coffees can all have flavor concentrate added, and sweetness can also be chosen according to one's own preference.

As the saying goes, the old must go before the new can come. Once Starbucks' syrup-swap policy was finalized and implemented, frontline employees naturally had to get busy. To welcome the "new partners," baristas not only had to quickly master how to use the new formulas, but also had to take on the task of sending off their "old partners" overnight.

Starting last night, a large number of Starbucks employees responsible for closing the bar posted on social media, lamenting that the old friends who had accompanied them for so long were about to enter scrapping mode and would all be poured down the drain. In the accompanying photos, various flavor syrups were lined up by the sink waiting to be destroyed, including many classic flavors once deeply loved by customers, such as vanilla, hazelnut, and salted caramel, as well as the regular Tahitian vanilla and original syrup.

According to employees, in the past many Starbucks materials were only gradually discontinued after being consumed naturally, which on the one hand could meet the repurchase needs of certain customers, and on the other avoided too much waste. For this reason, most stores would stock up on "syrup sources" as needed before the syrup-swap policy was issued, to prepare for any eventuality. But what everyone did not expect was that this time Starbucks unexpectedly announced a nationwide "one-size-fits-all" approach—that is, employees had to destroy all old-version syrup inventory in the store after closing on the 7th, and uniformly switch to the new series.

Although they felt it was wasteful, the workers still had to open the syrups one bottle after another, directly invert the bottles, and let the syrup glug-glug flow into the drain until the inventory was emptied, and finally rinse away the lingering sweetness in the sink with water. Faced with such familiar materials being completely scrapped, many veteran employees could not help but sigh: an era has ended!

Image source: internet screenshot

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(Front Street Coffee recommends: if you want to recreate Starbucks flavors at home, try Front Street Coffee's classic Italian blend beans with zero-sugar flavor syrup to easily create your own sweetness and flavor.)

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