Frappuccino gripe: "Why would Starbucks 'fix' something that's not broken?"

One of the complaints at MyStarbucksIdea.com: "I understand that SB wanted to make the Frappachinos more customizable, but the new one does not taste anywhere close to the old one, it has a terrible aftertaste and it made me (and a few others I know) sick to my stomach." (I love the various Frappuccino misspellings.) Read "New 'Frappachino'" || Jump to the second page of comments.

Comments

[david]

I had a coffee frap today and immediately knew something was different. I took it back to the barista, assuming he got my drink wrong. alas, he didn't. this is the "new" recipe.
I took 4 sips and threw it out. It was WAY too sweet, and actually made me feel sick to my stomach for the rest of the day.

[Cait]

Were any other partners kind of offended by the training method for the new frappuccinos? I have never felt more like a faceless number on a page than when I did that training. Reading each step out loud word for word as you prepare it, over and over again?! The shift reading from a script? Since when did we stop training toward different learning types? I felt like I didn't learn a thing. I concentrated so hard on reading the "major steps" out loud over and over again, I was barely paying attention to what I was doing. Even trying to make light of it by joking about how silly it was with shifts got me and a couple other people verbally reprimanded. I always heard people praise the company for treating us so well, and through what should have been simple (and maybe even fun?) new recipe training, it made me question what direction the company is moving in, and if I want to go that way too.

[Jazzhands]

I know this has already been covered, since some areas already are using the new frappuccino recipes. None of the Starbucks stores near me in MN are using the new recipes yet, but there are three nearby (10-15 min driving time) Barnes& Noble stores with cafes that "serve Starbucks products", and they have all been using the new recipes for approximately 2 weeks.
As to the taste, we've already had customers request the new recipes, whether for the taste or for the customizable options (we're big on soy in our store) or just for the healthier alternatives.
Overall, I'm excited. Not a big frappuccino drinker, but I do like the samples we've made better than the old version, and I like being able to make everything lighter and decaf.

[Del]

The new frap is terrible. I poured it out half way to work. Ugh. Awful. A Slim Fast is a treat by comparison. The only upside is my Frap addiction is now at an end, and I'll save the 4.55 per day, sometimes twice per day, that I've been so loathe to give up paying.

[Jim L.]

If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Tried the "new" frappachino and took it back for a ice coffee. The new is too sickly sweet. Tastes watered down and not good. If you want to create a new drink, give it a new name and give me back the old "frap".

[mheik01]

New coffee frappuccino is disgusting. Got one this am before I came to work and the chick used milk (which my stomach is very sensitive to) and pumps of syrup, coffee syrup I'm assuming. It was gross, but I was in a hurry so I left and sat in traffic. As I was sitting in traffic I realized it was really gross and I was going to return it to the one at work and see if they could make me another one. The guy was super nice and said sure. They did the same thing. I'm so disappointed and I'm not sure what I'm going to do... This is coming from a daily, year round frappuccino drinker

[yeano]

yea. they have always been made with milk, so they would have always upset your stomach. so yea no.

[mk]

I'm a customer...really hate the new frapp mix. REALLY. HATE. IT. At least the location I usually go to (and when I say usually, I mean, about once a day and tip every single time...), has really nice partners who gently informed me at the drive-thru, that my favorite frapp had changed, so that they didn't have to experience the unpleasant sight of me spewing my first sip out like a tsunami. I'm so disappointed. I mean, what in the world was wrong with them before? The partners at my favorite store, hopefully, will figure out how to engineer the new mix to make my frapp a little better; but I know for sure that they are frustrated too, because none of their customers like the change. I am thinking that THIS much change in a recessed market...that ticks off customers...might not have been the smart man's way to go.

[Angela]

The new frappuccino blows. I thought I was addicted to the stuff, but they just cured me.

[Dissappointed]

Yeah, new "however-you-want-it" custom frap is terrible (all variations I've tried). Why not keep what was already good/successful, and just add more options. Then you keep old customers and gain new ones.

Ironically, I can no longer get it however-I-want-it.

[Austin Bearista]

To anyone who dislikes the new frappucino recipe:
You are one customer. ONE CUSTOMER. Do you think Starbucks, a multi-billion dollar company, will give a darn if you take your business elsewhere? there are 5 high-schoolers behind you in line just waiting to take your place, and the baristas probably won't miss your attitude.

[quityourbitchin]

evidently, for every one customer lost, quite a few were gained in the test market. So yea, they don't care...it's a business, so it's about money.

[Kathi Woolsey]

I probably beat most of you when I tell you that I have had 1 Mocha Frap EVERY day for the last 11 years! I am an addict, and I admit it. I am actually grieving because I am not able to ingest the new Frap, partially because I HATE the taste, but mostly because it makes me extremely sick. Whomever posted that the regular Frap does not have Stevia is wrong. It does and I am severely allergic to it. The package says sugar, water, flavorings and gum, but the sugar is not all sugar, it is Stevia. I spoke at length to Customer Care yesterday and they went to the scientists and told me that it was not all cane sugar, but Stevia as well (Legally, they can call it sugar) The sweetness stayed in my mouth for 8 hours and I only took 3 sips before I spit it out. My tongue got thick and I had trouble breathing and the tummy pains were terrible.
Thank God my manager at the store I frequent informed me of the change. They did refund my money. And Starbucks is sending me free drink coupons. But, what do I drink if I can't have a Frap! The customers are angry because they don't understand why the drink tastes so strange and they don't let the customers know there is a change so the customers just think they have a poorly made drink. I am angry about that and about the change of recipe.
an alternative that I tried tonight was an iced mocha blended with non fat milk and instead of a shot we used the Frappichino mix blend for the coffee. It tasted similar, but I don't feel too great (in the bathroom alot) since drinking it. I feel like standing at the counters of my local Starbucks and letting everyone know (until the promo date) that the Fraps are different and they might hate them and possibly get sick from them like I do. I also researched Stevia and side effects and I am not the only one with a severe allergic reaction to it. Anybody have any comments or suggestions on what I can drink instead?

[Melody]

@Kathi - Is that both the creme base and the coffee base that leaves the bad taste in your mouth? At my local store, they're telling customers about the change and working with them so there are no surprises. I'm sorry your store is not doing that. :/

The thing about the new Frappuccino is that there is now a million and one ways to play around with it. I tried orange mango juice (used for Vivannos) blended with the creme base yesterday and it was SO delicious.

Kathi, check out the official Starbucks blogs at MyStarbucksIdea.com, and of course I welcome you to visit my site too (Link in name goes to my Frappuccino blog post)

[jenmor]

As a daily Frap drinker for (well, forever...), I have a pretty good barometer for when the Frap is made well, if there was too much or too little mocha, if somebody accidentally gave me a lite, etc. I tried to keep an open mind with the new Fraps, because this daily trip to SB is fixed as my morning ritual now. But, no more. The old Frap made my mouth sing. The new Frap sucks all the moisture out of my mouth and leaves me with an icky look on my face...like I just ate pooh.

Even if my regular barista was able to come up with a formula for me to come close to the Frap I am used to, I would still never be able to get that Frap anywhere else, unless they gave me a special "Frappucchino prescription card" for me to present to other local Stabucks stores. So this just seems like a very dumb idea.

I, too, will now be saving myself about 400 calories a day and about $2,500 a year, as I won't be visiting them anymore either.

[Melody (Reply to JenMor)]

@jenmor - The Coffee City blog of the Seattle Times has a poll asking people if they like the new Frappuccino. I think the results are interesting: If nearly a fifth of customers don't like it, that is a sizeable chunk of business.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/coffeecity/2011683603_how_do_you_like_starbucks_new.html

^ That link is also the link in my name for this blog post - Click on my name

[Frappuccino Fan]

Agreed that the new frap lights are awful. Horrible. Terrible. Disgusting. I don't have enough bad words.
My baristas have been wonderful, attempting to duplicate the old taste, to no avail.
It was my guilty pleasure. Starbucks was $1500/year to the better.
They have just killed my habit. Guess I will save some money.

[Outraged]

The new Frappuccino tastes like a milk slushy...it is the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted! I have been getting a Coffee Light Frappuccino every day for the past 8 years and I refuse to buy another one until they bring back the original mix! I am so enraged, I have started a Facebook group: "BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL STARBUCKS FRAPPUCCINO MIX!" Please join the group so we can bring back the original Frappuccino as soon as possible!!!

[Not impressed]

The new Frapp doesn't even taste like coffee...it is undrinkable! Starbucks is so stupid! Why would they change the most popular drink right before summer? They are going to lose so much money!

[Anita]

I have had a tall mocha light frap everday ever since the "light" versions came out in 2003.

The new versions taste bitter. I asked for a decaf skim mocha lite frap at 4 different stores this week.

Each one had a different consistency and color but each one had the same bitter aftertaste.

I am so so so disappointed in the gross taste and aftertaste of the new fraps.

[sshoihet]

Ive been drinking a double venti coffee frappuccino almost daily for 9 years; its the only thing I drink there. A Saturday trip to starbucks became a ritual for my me and my daughter. I just had the new version and I HATE it!!! It's going to save me a lot of money and make getting in shape much easier this summer :-)

[Josh]

The new recipe is crap. I'm not going back.

[Melody (Reply to Josh and sshoihet)]

@Josh and sshoihet:

Link in my name goes to a Coffee City blog poll on the new Frappuccino. That blogger (Melissa Allison) always ends up closing her polls and threads way too fast imho so I recommend you quickly go vote on the poll about the new Frappuccino.

[Sandy]

I recently got a Starbucks gift card and was so excited -- I went to Starbucks and orderd a Moca Frap Lite and was DISGUSTED as I took my first sip. I thought maybe the "new guy" made it wrong and went back later in the day to find it was the same taste... PLEASE BRING BACK THE OLD FRAP! I won't be going to Starbucks again until I hear that they do!

[denise]

As a frapp drinker...my family gets 6 plus each day...NO MORE! THAT IS THE NASTIEST DRINK EVER!!!!! The only problem i can see is that SB was not thinking straight by taking away the original drink and cutting their profits!!! You would think they would have JUST ADDED the new one so that they would double their profits and have double the sells!!!!! Don't understand, but thankfully without the old frapp base we sure as heck will save some money now!!!!!

[Jane]

I think I figured out why people are not liking the new Frappucinos -- you need to customize them to your taste, which is the great part about them. I got a mocha lite frap with three pumps - perfect taste for me. If you like it less sweet, try it without the extra pump. One pump tastes terrible - not mocha at all but weird coffee flavor. But please don't give up - try to customize it however you like it.

[Melmora]

I'm a frap addict. I admit it, & have no shame concerning it. I've had the "new" version now twice, both w/ not so good results. The first time I didn't know it was new, & asked to have it re-made, as I thought they had accidentally missed a step. It was re-made & of course it still tasted off to me. I didn't say anything to the barista the second round, I didn't want to hurt her feelings. Instead I just kissed my $5+ away, & ended up throwing most of it out. On my second trip the barista did tell me about the new changes. (Wish the first one would have.)Since I'm a regular customer, & know all of the baristas, she tried to make my normal order the way I like it. It was a no go. We decided that we would just keep working on it, till we figured it out. (Yes, she & her co-workers rock!) So, here is my question for baristas. My order is always a Venti Java Chip, w/ a half shot peppermint, extra chunky.i.e. extra choc chips & ice, blended only once. (I don't mind the ice chunks at all, the "chunkier" the better.) How should I be ordering my fraps now, so that they taste as similar to the old as possible? Without the stomach ache, odd aftertaste & are not blended to smooth? I really don't want to have to forgo my 4-5 trips to SB! The fraps are my guilty pleasure, & I hate even the thought of giving them up:) Thanks for any tips!

[maggie]

I also tried the new mocha lite frap. I usually have one everyday- no more!! The new ones have lost the coffee taste. The only good news is that I will save money.

[Anya]

:( I'm having a problem with the new frappuccinos. I don't know exactly what ingredients have changed vs the old version but something in them gives me a severe headache and very unpleasant digestive problems. The taste isn't too bad, but the aftertaste is not good. Can anyone here tell me what exactly has changed, what's been added that makes it feel like sbux is trying to kill me? Still waiting for a response from sbux.

[Melody]

Hi Anya, have you gone to mystarbucksidea.com and commented there? Your post here says "Still waiting for a response from sbux". You're more likely to get a response from Starbucks in the official blogs than non official ones. Just click on the 'popular threads' area of http://www.mystarbucksidea.com and join in the conversation there too. (Link in my name goes to my own blog on the Frappuccino)

[Heather Weier]

The new Frapp receipe is awful. way to sweet with a bad after taste. I thought it was made wrong the first time, but alas, the second was no better!

[Lori]

This new frap is awful. I've been having coffee fraps for the past 10 years. I don't know why they would change a good thing. This has such a sweet taste to it, I got it twice thinking it would taste better the second time. I had a couple sips and threw it out. I really hope they go back to the original recipe. In the meantime I'll be saving a lot of money!!!

[Holly]

It gives me a really bad headache too! I wonder what is causing it..

[siriusmindfrap]

I had one or two a day & brought a friend whom liked the Strawberries & Cream. We now have absolutely every reason to save the money on something that actually tastes GOOD. I cannot fathom why anyone would want to try this via / gum / ice garbage. Save your money & Time. I will miss the great helpers but after 5 tries I realized it is probably some sort of way for Starbucks to get rid of the nasty tasting via they also cannot give away.

[Dionne]

The new frap is horrible, it has a terrible aftertaste. The frap was the only coffe drink I would ever consider so I guess I've just saved $5.00 a day. Why fix what wasn't broken?

[Irene Barrett]

I drink a coffee frap with caramel syrup six days a week. At first, I didn't like the new mix. I didn't know it was a new recipe when I ordered. As soon as I tasted it, I noticed the difference. It was almost tasteless. I now ask for extra pumps of coffee flavoring,and it is almost the same as before. Still the old mix had more flavor. Even if you get two extra pumps of coffee flavor, most of it just sinks to the bottom of the cup. Hopefully the drink is new and the baristas will learn how to make it better.
Before it was always good. Now its hit or miss.

[notevenclose]

yea, the new strawberries and cream actually tastes like strawberries now. Who wants that.

[notevenclose]

if it is sinking to the bottom -it is not being made correctly. It's being added before the ice , instead of after. INSIST that they put it in AFTER the ice for you.

[Rachel]

This new recipe is so bad. You could hardly taste the coffee, it's just a sicking sweet watered down taste and you have to add lots more syrup just to taste it. No more frappes for me. I used to love em. I would get a coffee frap almost everyday and if they want us to try and get used to the taste, I'd understand if it were any good! but it pretty much sucks. Please bring back the old recipe.

[Tonya Dirk]

I will no longer be purchasing a Frappuccino. THe bitter taste and the awful after taste are just plain old YUCK. I've given it 4 tries and each time my cup has still been 3/4 at the end of the day. A total waste of my money. I am one who didn't know they had changed them and suddenly something I dearly loved was something I just couldn't stomach, thought I was crazy!

[K2]

It "tastes okay"? I want better than tastes okay or kind of like the old if I am spending over $4/frappuccino. It DOES NOT taste like the original, it has a very weak taste to it, and if you want a stronger taste, to get it kind of sort of close to the old but not really, guess what, you get to pay more.
And yes, I have given it multiple chances.

[Ex- Frappuccino addict]

Starbuck's new frappuccinos are DISGUSTING! I have been a dedicated StarCrack addict for about 8 years now. I don't know how much some people spend at Starbucks, but one year I spent AT LEAST $1200. That is what I added up from the receipts that I actually kept.

Sometimes I would buy 2-3 drinks hot & cold per day. I was looking forward to the rich vanilla bean frapp last week and upon the first sip, was appalled! It tasted like iced MILK! Not sweet, not like vanilla and very runny. I have had better shakes at McDonalds. I took it back to Starbucks & asked them to make another as it tasted like NOTHING.. As the barista began making another, I noticed her pouring milk out of a gallon into the blender, which I knew was not the norm. I then found out that they had changed the Vanilla drink according to her, so I took a caramel frap instead and soon found out that it didn't taste the same either. It was just as runny. I felt as if I were drinking some cheap no name drink from the food court in the Antelope Valley mall & had just got swindled out of almost $5.00 for a $1.00 drink.

On the way home, still craving the REAL frappuccino, I decided to get a frap from my regular Starbucks, as they are always made JUST RIGHT! With that smooth, thick creamy weighty texture and that slammin' rich coffee taste with caramel swirled around the edges of the cup topped with whipped cream.. but LO, it was just as disgusting and watery at my regular Starbucks!! Was I getting punked or something? NOOoooo!!

Turns out they changed ALL of the ice-blended drinks to some flavorless, downgraded, tastes like nothing and isn't even brown slimey blah, snot blobs.. AND KEPT THE PRICE AT $4.55 for the venti...so that the customer could "CUSTOMIZE IT".. why on EARTH would you DOWNGRADE the taste of a drink, keep the price just as high, basically offering less for the same amount of money, and then charge 70 CENTS to add espresso back in it to get to taste remotely near but not at all the same as the Caramel Frappucino did before. REALLY STARBUCKS!!???

Did they do a focus group AT ALL? Did they have regular frappuccino addicts participate in this or people with sinus issues and no taste buds? There is no way that I am going to be duped into paying the same price for a downgraded taste and then almost a dollar more to get it to taste similar but nowhere near as good as it was before! Sheeeeeet! They can keep that watery crap. The ice blended mocha @ The Coffee Bean tastes a lot better.

I thought I would never be cured of my frappuccino addiction, but Starbucks pulled it off with this thrift store drink with a Nordstrom price.

To the person that said "you're only ONE customer & teenagers will replace you" Good luck if the teens can find jobs to spend the money adults spend on Starbucks. I know how much money I spent in Starbucks and they will not be getting it anymore.

Perhaps I can take that money and go on a nice vacation! Indeed!

[siriusmindfrap]

So when will the old mix be back? The new Frappucinno Mix from the container, the new coffee (flavor) the new gum, the stevia, and via (is it in it) because it has that funky aftertaste... all taste like ice water with nasty stevia. So it should only cost a dollar to make because it is absolutely nasty. If it were free I still could not drink it. We had customizable before. Sorry for the people whom actually think that is anything new.

[Anya]

So I did get a responses from sbux. 3 days later they sent me an email form letter that said exactly the same thing as the website about how they did the test market thing, its wonderful and customizable, blah blah blah. I sent an email back asking if they even read their emails because I asked what was changed because of a possible allergy and they sent me back a worthless form letter.. among other choice words lol. That actually got a response and they sent me their ingredients list and they swear there is only stevia in the light mix. Before I had finally received the email I called in and the guy I talked to took forever to finally tell me what was in it. I asked if he could verify that the sugar was actually just sugar and not something else because I have an allergy to some sugar substitutes/artificial sugars, he said, all it says here is sugar. Maybe you should try the light base. Big help that guy was, pretty sure he just told me to try something that was guaranteed to make me ill right after I told him I was allergic!
I've talked to my barista, same girl I've bought from for years, trust her far more than corporate guy, and she swears she only gave me the regular. Showed me the container and it's what I saw her use every time. It only lists "sugar". I've read that because stevia is a natural sugar substitute they can legally list it as sugar.
I am allergic to stevia, I'm also allergic to the entire plant family it grows from. So it must be in the regular mix too. Their end response when I told them I am allergic to their new product? Their old product I've spent over $2000.00 a year on for several years? "I'm sorry you can no longer have your favorite drink, we'll send you some free drink coupons" What in the heck am I gonna use them on? I hate everything else at starbucks.

[noljustno]

@sirus no matter how many places you post this, the old frap is not coming back. It's just not. And no matter how many times you post it, it's not made w/ via, and the frapp roast has nothing to do with the after taste. That has to do either w/ improperly made drinks and/or stevia-that , ahem, customers ASKED for.
@anya, yea, stevia is ONLY in the light, and no, it's not listed as sugar...maybe take a few breaths and dig up some facts.

[Crystal]

Peet's has a soy frap that I prefer to Starbuck's. Peet's also has accurate calorie info for all their milk customizations. Only the tea/fruit base is completely dairy free so you have to ask for that if you want something dairy free.

The fraps are too sweet for me but I hadn't had a frap in over four years (I'm vegan). But I did have one at Peet's, which I prefer to Starbucks in every way except that they don't have a gift card that allows me to get free soy.

I would love to know the ingredients and accurate nutrition info. That shouldn't be a hard thing to build into their drink making site.

[Deb]

I was looking for the caffienne content and stumbled on this site. I agree what must be the new frapp is not the same. I bought 2 yesterday and had asked "what is the extra coffe" and was told it had tons more caff. Dont think so. Also notice it didnt have the coffe sediment on the bottom of the cup. I like to let it thaw to make it easy to use the straw. This time they were not as good. I thought it was me. I guess there is some truth to it now that I have read the other comments. Ge I hope I dont get STARBUCKS cards for MothersDay , now.

[Melody]

Hate to be negative...but have been going to Starbucks for years and ordering Fraps. The new formula tastes like cigarette butts...bitter and leaves an after taste. Even the barista said she had had many complaints and added it is "nasty". PLEASE CHANGE IT BACK OR OFFER BOTH!!!

[Melody]

Whoa! Just to be clear, there is another Melody on this site.

Hi Melody! My name is Melody too! I produce a Starbucks blog (link in my name). Though one of the more effective things you can do to voice your concerns about the new Starbucks is to go to mystarbucksidea.com and post there. But do NOT start a new thread on the Frappuccinos! You'll get down votes for having a repetitive thread. Go to "popular ideas" and vote on existing Frappuccino threads.

My own take on the new Frappuccino: I like the cream based one better than before. A dark cherry, or a chai, or even with Orange Mango puree, is all delicious. The coffee Frappuccino is okay but not great. The light version has a really unnatural funny taste to me, and I'd never order that twice. But obviously this is all subjective!! There is never a right or a wrong in matters of pure personal taste!

[BONITA]

A few folks are commenting that they got sick from the "new" Fraps - could be because Starbucks decided to add GLUTEN as a new ingredient to the Light Frap, but hasn't announced it in any way to alert those sensitive to gluten. A big "bad" on their part. Even if you get a regular, could be cross-contaminated if you are sensitive to gluten. I'm very disappointed.