If you make daily Starbucks runs in the morning, you might notice a change in your iced beverage of choice.
CNN reported that the company will be switching its ice from its more standard ice chips to “nugget ice” in the next couple of years.
If you’ve ever gotten a soda at Sonic, that’s the kind of crunchy, airy ice that Starbucks will reportedly start adding to its iced drinks.
“The nuggets don’t melt any faster, the company said, and the switch to nuggets doesn’t mean customers will get any less ice since baristas are using the same ice scoop,” writes CNN Business’ Jordan Valinsky.
While you might not have new ice in your iced coffee anytime soon, the day will come when you will notice a difference in your Starbucks drink.
Via TODAY, a Reddit user caught a glimpse of the new “nugget ice” at the Starbucks location they visit.
New special ice (we are 1 of 3 cafe stores testing the new ice). What do you guys think? It looks like the ice at sonic.
by u/Cupcake_Great in starbucks
A Starbucks representative provided a statement to TODAY confirming the ice changes in “select stores this year.”
“As we continue to innovate and make investments in the Starbucks Experience for our partners (baristas) and customers, we are introducing new machines that make nugget ice to select stores this year,” the rep told TODAY. “Like many of our recent investments, this machine allows partners to focus on delivering the Starbucks Experience while hand-crafting the same delicious, high-quality iced beverages our customers have come to expect from Starbucks.”
While it’s unclear the exact timeframe in which specific Starbucks locations will get the new nugget ice machines, it appears that the ice really is breaking in how the giant coffee chain chills its famous beverages.