New Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, who took over in September 2024, announced that the coffee chain would be cutting off 30% of its menu by the end of the fiscal year.
These cuts started coming into action last week on 4 March, so here’s why these cuts are being made, what drinks were left behind, and what new ones are replacing them.
Why the menu is being cut by a just under a third
CEO Brian Niccol is cutting the Starbucks menu down by 30% in an effort to “clear the noise” and increase the speed of the service, making a smaller menu more efficient for customers and baristas alike.
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Niccol has also taken an initiative called ‘Back to Starbucks’ where he aims to bring the chain back to its coffeehouse roots, with a simple ordering process. He is also bringing back free coffee and tea refills as well as the self-service counter for customers, according to Cultura Colectiva.
The criteria for removing a drink
Drinks were removed if there were one of the following: takes a long time to order or prepare, isn’t often reached for by customers, or is too similar to another drink on the menu, according to The Independent,
So if your go-to drink at the coffee chain is a niche, hidden one that people don’t often talk about, it might’ve been one of those removed.
Which drinks have been removed
Thirteen drinks have been removed from the Starbucks menu. They are: Iced Matcha Lemonade, White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino, Espresso Frappuccino, Chai Crème Frappuccino, Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino, Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino, Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino, White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino, Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino, Java Chip Frappuccino, White Hot Chocolate, Royal English Breakfast Latte, and Honey Almondmilk Flat White.
There are three new picks in their place
Although the chain said goodbye to these drinks, which include a lot of Frappachinos, it brought in three new items: Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha, Iced Cherry Chai, and Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte.
Niccol spoke about the cut
The Starbucks CEO spoke about the cut in the menu, saying, “We’ve taken steps to refocus the business, our mission and our marketing to better align with our identity as a coffee company,” The Independent reports.
“We have to clear the noise out both in food and beverage menus. That opens the door for better innovation that will hopefully resonate even more so for our customers.”
Starbucks is also undergoing major layoffs
The coffee chain isn’t just cutting off the menu to seemingly reduce costs and increase traffic into the shop, but is also conducting major layoffs which started last week, cutting off 1,100 corporate workers.
In a press release, Niccol wrote, “In January, I shared that we were evaluating the role, structure and size of our global support teams to help us deliver on our “Back to Starbucks” plan and position the company for future success.”
“The leadership team has finished that work, and this week, we will communicate the changes we’re making. This includes the hard decision to eliminate 1,100 current support partner roles and several hundred additional open and unfilled positions.”
They seem to be fully restructuring
“Our intent is to operate more efficiently, increase accountability, reduce complexity and drive better integration,” the CEO said.
Cutting off menu costs, bringing back the free refill policy, and conducting major layoffs, it seems Starbucks is seriously restructuring for better or for worse.
