"The horror -- the outrage": The sprinkles are being discontinued!

A coffee lover named JEFFREY e-mails your STARBUCKS GOSSIP webmaster: I am a big fan of the site and a big-time Starbuck's lover. So I could not think of a better forum for me to vent than right here in your email inbox. Anyway, it has come to my attention that the Toffee Nut Latte with whip cream and sprinkles is no longer going to be a special item on the menu. Oh, there will still be toffee nut syrup available for a toffee nut latte, but the sprinkles...yes, the sprinkles, are being discontinued.

The horror. The outrage. I have been drinking toffee nut lattes with whip and sprinkles since it was introduced last holiday season and watched as it drifted off the big board and became a special item to order.

Apparently there will be no more sprinkles and really, it's the sprinkles that make the damn beverage what it is. I have no idea who is handling latte strategy up at headquarters but this news it quite distressing. Am I going to be forced to bring in outside sprinkles to my local Starbuck's. Will I need to offer cash under the table to my barista to keep a bottle of sprinkles in a hidden spot near the espresso machine?

And now, with the holidays fast-approaching and yummy toffee nut lattes w/sprinkles being the perfect companion for brisk, southern California day - my pleasure is being taken from me. Why? Why I ask. Is there no justice up in Seattle?

The sprinkles, it's the sprinkles....

Comments

[John]

I work for Starbucks and haven't heard anything about phasing out toffee nut sprinkles.

[JD]

I work at Starbucks and we haven't had the sprinkles in months. I was told it was a holiday thing.

[Megan]

Toffee Nut sprinkles were discontinued MONTHS ago at the beginning of summer. The only reason why no one realized was because the warehouses still had so MUCH of them that we still get them.

Also, once the summer menus were in place, the Toffee Nut lattes were no longer supposed to come with whipped cream by default. To this day, I continue to ask every customer if they want whip or would rather like foam. We have a couple large bottles of Toffee Nuts left, so they should be around for just a little bit longer in some areas.

Our store still had some for quite a while after they were discontinued, but eventually we had to throw away the supply we had because they had expired. What a waste.

We still make the Toffee Nut Lattes with whip by default - we only ask whether a customer wants whip or not if they order it nonfat.

[Oracle]

toffe nut latte drinkers...

Personality type: High Maintenance

You pride yourself on being assertive and direct; everyone else thinks you're bossy and arrogant. You're constantly running your mouth about topics that only you would find interesting. Your capacity for wasting other people's time is limitless. Your friends find you intolerable, that's why they're plotting to kill you.

Also drinks: Water. Bottled, chilled, with four ice cubes, a twist of lemon, in a crystal glass.
Can also be found at: Trendy martini bars

[LaNissa]

Hi.. I work at starbucks here in Dallas.. and we still use the sprinkles on the toffee nut latte.. so.. anyways.. just thought I'd share that with you..

[lemondrop]

I feel your pain. It was a sad day when I went to order the raspberry mocha chip only to be told that it was gone. Just a seasonal item they get you hooked on and then callously yank away.

[A.S. hifty]

Guess you missed the part where the Toffee Nut Latte was a Seasonal drink!

holy crap! they have SEASONAL drinks?

sorry to break it to you, but the Toffee nut Latte is about the same as any other seasonal drink. eventually it will be gone all together and a new snazzier drink will take its place.

look for the pumpkin spice latte (with pumpkin spice sprinkled on top) in a few weeks.

[sol]

The stores haven't been able to order them since the beginning of the summer. So basically either you have a supply or you don't. Use it up till its gone or get rid of it when it expires.

And actually Toffee Nut Latte officially stop being a seasonal drink, along with the Gingerbread Latter. The reason for the discontinuation of the sprinkles is because of their cost.

[Shift for starbucks]

Toffee nut is now going to be a core syrup, replacing Irish Creme. The sprinkles are being discontinued but like the earlier post said the warehouse has a lot for now. Another change is Creme de Menthe syrup is being replaced by Peppermint (is there really a difference?)

[Cindy]

I'm looking for the recipe for the Starbucks "Pumpkin Spice Latte". It's my favorite and I have no idea how to make it at home. Anyone know?
Cindy

[TOFFEE NUT SPRINKLES!!!]

Sprinkles are available at Starbucks in Japan. They just introduced the Toffee Nut Latte as a winter drink. It comes with sprinkles, like it should!

[shift for starbucks]

The flavoring for the pumpkin spice lattes is a syrup that Starbucks sends out to each store. If you can get ahold of the syrup you can make it otherwise I'm not really sure how one would make it. Starbucks stores don't sell the syrup so you might try E-bay.

Here is where you can buy the pumpkin spice syrup

http://www.torani.com/meet/pr_cheesecake.shtml

[barista c]

that is not the kind of syrup starbucks uses. ours is a creamy syrup, like mocha or white mocha syrup.

Yep. The pumpkin spice base that Starbucks uses resides in a jug with a pump top. It's a thick and dark orange "goo" as opposed to a clear syrup.

As long as we're on the subject of syrups, whoever comes out with a sugar-free toffee nut syrup should be awarded the Nobel Prize for, erm, syrupy goodness. :)

[G-vegas Barista]

I'm a Barista in North Carolina. We ran out of the sprinkles and lost some customers because of it. I think they should bring it back since some people really like it on their drink. Why not, when we carry the syrup year round.

[Julie]

Is there any chance that Starbucks might consider making the pumpkin spice a core syrup? I got addicted to those lattes this holiday season and now I'm bummed because the stores are running out of the syrup. I tried the vanilla and hazelnut, but they just didn't taste as good. I guess that is what I get for getting addicted to something. A more positive look would be that I would have more money in my pocket if they run out. :) Julie

Pumpkin spice is a core syrup now and if they are running out it is because they didn't order enough not that they can't

No it isn't

[Jo]

Just wanted to throw my two cents in on this. I *REALLY* miss my toffee nut lattes too!
I couldn't believe they started phasing them out as soon as the weather warmed up last year. As one Starbucks would run out of their last supply of sprinkles I'd move on to another -luckily we have a Starbucks on almost every corner around here.
I felt a bit like a junkie searching for their sprinkle fix.
It finally came to an end though *sigh*, and I was forced to go back to my former favorite -the Caramel Machiatto. Wow, talk about a let down.....this used to be my favorite?? Blech..

[Boston Starbucks Rebel]

I am horrified to hear what is happening around the country with the toffee nut lattes. Thankfully, New England is a strong bastion of the toffee nut latte and we still have it fully available, sprinkles included. There were rumors and reports of the demise of the toffee nut latte coming to us from beyong the West but we did not believe until refugees of the toffee nut latte arrived in the East, amazed that we could still remembered art of the toffee nut latte. Hopefully we can offer a toffee nut latte until well into the summer.

[Boston Starbucks Rebel]

The pumpkin spice latte I think is very gross. Thankfully I read that it is being discontinued very soon, probably in March or April depending how long your ordering warehouse is able to keep on shipping you the pumpkin spice syrup. I really didn't like it that much in any of its forms because it was so, ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. The only thing worse is the China Green Tips.

All the Toffee Nut Sprinkles in Starbucks expired in May of 2004

[Julie]

I just had an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte. The Barista at Starbucks showed me the syrup jug w/ pump. It is thick and orange. Last year (Fall 2004) I tried to order it from Starbucks and they said "no" unless I can get a Cafe to sell me one - which they acted shocked when I tried. I purchased the Torani or DaVinci, I have tried both and they are chemically horrid compared to the Starbucks. Does anyone know where you can buy the Starbuck's style pumpking spice syrup. Thanks!

you can't it's proprietary

"I just had an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte. The Barista at Starbucks showed me the syrup jug w/ pump. It is thick and orange. Last year (Fall 2004) I tried to order it from Starbucks and they said "no" unless I can get a Cafe to sell me one - which they acted shocked when I tried. I purchased the Torani or DaVinci, I have tried both and they are chemically horrid compared to the Starbucks. Does anyone know where you can buy the Starbuck's style pumpking spice syrup. Thanks!"

I'll sell you as many as you want ;)

they...uh...fell of a truck.

[Laurie]

I've been looking for the Pumpkin Spice liquid Starbuck's sells for weeks! I bought my Tazo Chai Tea liquid and am ready to make Pumpkin Spice Chais (my absolute fav drink!) and can't find it anywhere on the internet! I see I'm not the only one! I don't want to try the Torani's syrup it's just not the right consistency. Can anyone help?

[david]

Ok "Jeffery" - if that is your real name, stop whining about your damned sprinkles and get a mans drink. Or does the thought of a vente black coffee scare you that much?

[Holly]

I really love the pumpkin spice latte's too...so I tried to make my own...I used the canned pumpkin pie filling and added all the dried spices it calls for to make a pie, mix 2 tbls.of it with 8oz. of steamed milk and 2-3 oz. of espresso. and you could top it with whip cream....It was o.k. If anyone can make it taste a little more creamier, let me know.

[Julie Truly]

Is Starbucks Peppermint syrup proprietary too?
"Say it isn't so, Joe"

nope you can buy that

[Ann]

I'm really glad I found this site. At least I have a start to the recipe for pumpkin spice latte. Thanks David!!

[Chris]

I bid on pumpkin spice syrup on ebay. I was willing to spend about $30.....needless to say.....I lost. The syrup went for $60+. Shipping was $25. Since I'm not sure how many grande size lattes you can make out of it, I didn't know if it was worth it.

There's another one up now for $40+ with only $15 shipping.

Does anyone know how many lattes can be made from one bottle?

can anybody tell me just what are the ingredients that go into sprinkles? hmmm, let's see, hydrogenated fat, sugar and food coloring. with all the concern over avoiding trans fats, shouldn't these things go the way of sacchrine?

[andrea]

I went on a schooltrip to edinburgh last week and I had like four mugs of the toffee nut latte and it was just delicious. It doesn't really matter if the sprinkles were expired, the coffee stays the same.

[Kate]

Pumpkin spice syrup...I would like to buy some of this notorious pumpking spice syrup? Are there any baristas out there who might know where to get it? Please email me at kpettit@stanford.edu. Thank you!

[Monica]

Just bid on the eBay Pumpkin Spice Syrup. Gonna be hard to explain to my children why I drained there college funds for a super addictive syrup that cost more money then a new land rover.

[karen]

I really think there is a great deal of interest shown by many people to by the Starbucks Pumpkin Pie Syrup. It is such a great fall drink warm or cold. Starbucks sells other syrups why can't they sell this one. If anyone can help me find or buy this be let me know. kgastright@insightbb.com

[Joe Girardi]

Anyone know if Gingerbread Latte is coming back for the Xmas season?

yes it is.

should be back in November

[Barista to the Stars]

Funny thing about pumpkin spice syrup: it's my understanding that it is NEVER sold to the public and that, if it is on EBay, it's a partner or manager that has essentially swiped it and has put in on EBay. I KNOW of one partner that was dismissed from my store for selling service recovery (free drink) coupons on EBay.

If you can get it, great, I just think it's amusing how it ends up on EBay. And: if you bid on it, try to get a pump with it. The pumps are auto shipped with the syrup and calibrated to dispense the right amount of syrup for the size drink (3 pumps for 12 oz; 4 for 16 oz and 5 for 20 oz).

Barista to the Stars

[laurie]

I found the pumpkin spice recipe online at the Torani site. I make it with Torani syrup and I think it tastes pretty much the same as Starbucks. Yes, it's addictive and SEASONAL! It comes out in August and goes away in the Spring. I live in So. CAL and cannot find it in any store, so I ordered it online. I have seen the gingerbread and peppermint syrup for sale at Starbucks during the holidays, but they have yet to sell the revered pumpkin spice. I think they're shooting themselves in the foot because they would't be able to keep it on the shelves if they would just wake up.

[Jacqui]

You can purchase sugar free toffe syrup at www.loweryscoffee.com. I top my homemade toffe latte's with Heath bit o' brickle bits which can be purchased at www.groovycandies.com and I use 1% milk for a tasty lowfat latte

I think I'll order the pumpkin spice syrup from monin.com and give it a try!

[Xiao Ling Zhang]

Can someone tell me where I can buy Toffee Net syrup?

[choklit and yes that is my name]

We don't even get to drink toffee nut with SPRINKLES here in the Philippines... This is an outrage? Is it because we are a third world country?! What the hell is the world coming to?

[aunt lou lou]

is there actually pumpkin in the pumpkin spice latte. my taste buds say it's just the "spices" used with pumpkin pie. i taste no pumpkin. love it though. wish i could get some, but not bad enough to pay $80 on ebay.

[Claire]

Can anyone tell me where to find out which of the Starbucks drinks/bakery items/etc might contain hydrogenated ingredients? My friend has MS and I go out to get her Starbucks--which she LOVES--but she can't have hydrogenated foods. The baristas and Starbucks' website don't have actual lists of ingrediets, only "nutritional information." This could help somebody's life so thanks alot...

[Karen]

I love Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte! Here's my vote to keep it all year round. I was not a Starbucks fan until I tried my first Pumpkin Spice Latte, I've been hooked ever since. I was very disappointed to learn they've stopped selling it. I won't settle for anything else they have it doesn't appeal to me. I guess it's time for me to stop patronizing them again.