The viral Bearista sparked a new era for Starbucks merch
For decades, customers have expressed their connection to Starbucks through more than what’s in their cup. It shows up in the mug they reach for every morning, the collectible they keep for years or the small rituals they share with friends and family.
That connection is only getting stronger — and it’s evolving.
Today, customers are looking for products and experiences that reflect who they are and what they love. They want to see their identity, their passions and their creativity come to life through the brands they choose. And that shift is creating real momentum for our merch business.
As part of our Back to Starbucks plan, we’re focused on being visible, relevant and loved everywhere. Merch plays a critical role in that, extending the Starbucks experience beyond our coffeehouses and creating new, meaningful ways for customers to engage with our brand.
A defining moment came during the holidays last year, when the Glass Bearista™ Cold Cup went viral and sold out in less than a day. That wasn’t just a successful product launch, it was an inflection point. Bearista showed us what happens when we show up at the intersection of coffee, culture and community in a way that feels authentic to our brand. Customers didn’t just buy it, they shared it, celebrated it and made it part of the broader cultural conversation.
And that’s when momentum really accelerated.
Our approach to merch is grounded in what has always made Starbucks special: iconic products, meaningful rituals and real human connection. But we’re also approaching it with a clear point of view, culture isn’t a campaign for us. It’s how we operate, how we innovate and how we build demand every day.
You’re seeing that come to life in the collections we’re launching:
- Collaborations with Peanuts, Hello Kitty®, Miffy and Roller Rabbit have connected with customers across generations and markets, showing the power of culturally relevant design to travel globally.
- Pink Vibes exceeded expectations on launch day and is on track to be one of our best performing merch collections this year.
- Recently, the limited-edition Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup mostly sold out by 7 a.m. across North America on the day it went on sale — another signal of the demand for highly anticipated, collectible drops.
- Later this summer, we’ll launch a collaboration with Dandy Worldwide, a modern streetwear label rooted in individuality and self-expression.
At the same time, we’re expanding how customers access these products. Earlier this year, we launched Starbucks Shop, our new online destination for some of our most unique coffees, merch and apparel. Currently available to Starbucks Rewards members, it will expand to all customers later this year ahead of the holiday season.
What started with a viral Bearista has become something much bigger. It’s a powerful example of how we’re building at the intersection of culture, connection and commerce, creating products customers are excited to carry, share and come back for again and again.
And we’re just getting started.