Starbucks Korea says cold brew sales surged 30% amid heat wave

Starbucks Korea said iced beverages have been flying off the menu, citing a week-on-week comparison of drink sales from July 27 to Aug. 2 against the prior week (July 20-26).

Cold brew was the fastest-growing category over the period, with sales climbing more than 30 percent. The newly launched Coco Cold Brew, which hit stores July 27, drove much of the gain. The drink combines electrolyte-rich coconut water with Starbucks cold brew. The Sea Salt Caramel Cold Brew, introduced in June, also crossed 10 million cumulative cups sold this year since its debut in 2023.

Cold brew is an iced coffee made by steeping African and Latin American beans at low temperatures for 20 hours. Since its 2016 launch, the drink has sold more than 270 million cups over the past decade.

Sales in the Refreshers category also rose more than 20 percent week on week. Last month Starbucks introduced the Pink Peach Refresher and the Pink Peach Coconut Refresher, both blending peach, mango and strawberry flavors with lemonade.

The Pink Peach Refresher, priced in the 4,000-won range, sold more than 300,000 cumulative cups in a month. The drink pairs fruit flavors with natural caffeine, with a tall-size serving containing about 30 milligrams of caffeine.

"As the heat wave continues, demand for lighter beverages has risen, and cold brew sales have followed," said Choi Hyeon-jeong, Starbucks Korea's head of food and beverage development. "Trying out the variety of promotional products and finding your own favorite drink can be a fun experience in itself."

Meanwhile, Starbucks is offering a free drink coupon redeemable for one tall-size Caffe Americano, Caffe Latte or Vanilla Latte, along with a food coupon for 30 percent off sandwiches, cakes and bread. Both coupons are valid through Aug. 14.