Starbucks launches chocolate line that includes coffee and tea-flavored pieces

Starbucks Chocolate, produced by a Hershey unit, will include signature dark, mocha and milk chocolate bars and tasting squares; Tazo chai, passion and citron tea-infused chocolate tasting squares; caffe mocha, chai, espresso, caramel macchiato and Madagascar vanilla bean truffles and milk chocolate-covered caffe verona coffee beans. For now, the chocolates (click on the image to see them) will not be sold in Starbucks stores. (Read the AP story || Read Starbucks' press release || Read reviews of the Starbucks Chocolates)

Comments

[Brewbaker]

Sounds deliciouso

[inopethflames]

this is a good idea, an idea that makes sense.

i dont understand why, if starbucks wants to increase revenue & stuff, why dont at at least some bigger stores doesnt starbucks serve their ice cream and alcoholic drinks? ive had their ice cream a couple times & its great, and im sure the alcholic drinks would be a big success.

also i got the iced honey latte as a sample yesterday, and i didnt really like it, it wasnt specifically too sweet i dont think, it just tasted unusual. so hopefully they come out with a new flavor asap because i wont be getting any honey drinks. my mom had a hot sample & that was a little better, but i still dont wanna get any of it!

[ex-sbuxmanager]

For ice cream, you need freezers...too much money.

For the liquor, you need a liquor license...in major cities, they're hard to get, they increase government vigilance, and they're expensive.

[Sheik]

This is just my opinion but I think this new chocolate rollout would have done a whole lot better had it been introduced BEFORE Valentine's Day...

So this is how they get back to thier roots?

[My Two Cents]

Things that make ya go, hmmmmmm.

Food quality has always been a problem at Starbucks. Like many customers, I've given up...too many bad experiences with too many over-refrigerated, soggy sandwiches.

But chocolate is a good idea. It's easier to stock and store, no?

Anyway, a venti estima and dark chocolcate sounds good to me.

[NEN Barista]

I have tried the caramel macchiato truffles, and they are really really delicious..I found them in a Sam's club of all places!

[that girl]

I think they should go back to treating a coffee sample similar to someone sampling wines: focusing on food pairings, explaining bouquet and body, explaing what one would look for in a breakfast coffee verses an after dinner coffee. Chocolate and coffee have always been a lovely pairing. It would be nice to get rid of all the bleah mints and gums that don't sell in front of the tills and focus on chocolates that truely pair well with our coffees and teas.

Why are they not going to sell them in the stores?

[MN BariSTAR/Manager]

Saw something similar at target today. Along with that crap preground and WB coffee. Shame~

[Kat]

While I'm not a big fan of Hershy's (their chocolates always taste waxy to me) and I wish they'd gone with another company, I do think bringing chocolate into Starbucks is a good move. A lot of people like chocolate with their coffee, and there are a lot of 'chocoholics' out there. I expect it should do well.

[xsbuxdm]

SBUX seems to routinely shake up their chocolate program every few years. All of those products stayed "in-house." Maybe getting the new line outside the 4 walls of a SBUX store will help.

KAT,

SBUX failed when they tried to buy Godiva. Since the Brand is not longer a premium and more "cookie cutter" eg. McDonalds/Dunkin Donuts -- they've gone with a mass market choclatier like Hershey's.

[Cakespy]

I'm curious to taste these...it does sound like a good idea. I have been burned by their snacks in the past sometimes though.

[rasbarista]

I tried a hand pressed sample of the chocolates at a coffee tasting and they were amazing. I don't know if it's the best marketing move for Starbucks, but they are delicious and high quality.

[boo]

These are starting to show up at Target...they are expected to be set on March 16th. They've got vanilla bean truffles, chai tea truffles, and caffe mocha truffles...that's the ones I saw.

I also saw a kinda of a peppermint hot chocolate mix by the other hot chocolates. It's got chunks of choclate with peppermint in it and you melt it with milk...it sounded good but was $7.50 for what I figured would yield around 16-20oz.

Way to go Howie! Forget about the coffee.. keep on diluting the Brand with candy and watch the stock value continue to plummet.

[Melody]

At anon above,
I'm making a wild wild guess here, but I bet that the chocolates were planned well before Howie returned to the seat of CEO. So I think probably the ball was in motion before Howie got a chance to put the brakes on it.

I agree; it dilutes the brand. Yet I'm still optimistic that Howard can bring us back to a love affair with coffee beans.

Chai flavored chocolate? Sounds gross.

[Kat]

I don't see how carrying chocolate is diluting anything really. It makes a lot more sense to me to carry something like chocolate than breakfast sandwiches (and is less smelly too). Chocolate and coffee go together naturally, at least in my book, a lot of people love chocolate and are probably more inclined to buy a little square than a pricey pastry or sandwich. At least I know I will :)

[Jan the Barista]

Sounds good. I up for it.

[james]

Sounds interesting...the chocolate is actually made by Artisan Confections Co., a Hershey subsidiary that contains sharffenberger and joseph schmidt. All great chocoalte...maybe its really good?

[Pat Nerr]

Melody,

Howie has always overseen the introduction of any products at SBUX regardless of his position be it CEO or Chairman. He approved this "chocolate thing" long long ago - as mentioned before, he failed with Godiva so he's now going mass market -- the same way the Brand is moving -- like Target, Sam's Club, etc. Starbucks is no longer a premium Brand....

It's come a long way from selling premium whole bean coffee in unique store settings (eg. Pike Place Market) to pre-ground bulk packs at Costco, Target, and your neighborhood grocery stores.

Time to unload my SBUX Options.

[Melody]

Then I would say that Howie needs to re-read Pour Your Heart Into it. ;-)

Either that or re-write it!

[Nicola]

Mmmmmm.

Nothing says slightly sinful heart and soul as well as coffee, except chocolate!

Again... Mmmmm...

One time at this awesome little independent deli/café in town here I bought a bar of Earl Grey Tea Chocolate - it was one of the best, richest, most indulgent things I've ever put in my mouth. Unforgettable.

I want the citron dark chocolate bar and the vanilla bean drop. Now.

[Matt K.]

I had the Espresso truffles and they were simply delicious. This is a good move for Starbucks.

[Champy]

I have tried a few of the new chocolate products. I was a little skeptical because, although I like Hersheys, it is lower quality chocolate. And as a partner I rolled my eyes at futher commercialization of the brand in the face of these "back to our roots" efforts in our actual stores.

I was pleasantly surprised at what I tasted. The milk choclate covered Verona Beans were incredible. I love chocolate coveres Espresso Beans and the Verona ones were delicious and the chocolate was creamy. I also tried the Mocha Dark Chocolate Bar. It is infused with ground Casi Cielo, which is one of my favorite coffees. Definitely a dark chocolate, which i love so this is a great offering.

I have seen an advertisement for a "Mocha Sanani Bar" but I haven't been able to find it in stores. Has anyone seen it?

[Mindy H.]

I saw an add on TV today for the truffles, then I went by my local Starbucks to get some and they had no idea what I was talking about. They said there was no such thing. Where is everyone getting the truffles?

[emily]

they are at grocery stores, and target/walmart
we arent actually selling any in starbucks stores