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Starbucks Korea, Japan mark spring by swapping cherry blossom and cream puff drinks

Published: 05 Apr. 2026, 13:56 Updated: 05 Apr. 2026, 17:39

KIM MIN-YOUNG
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The Cherry Blossom White Peach Frappucino [STARBUCKS KOREA]

In an effort to diversify its seasonal offerings, Starbucks Korea has swapped its signature spring drinks with those of Starbucks Japan, importing a Japanese iced coffee that already has a following among Korean tourists.

This spring, Starbucks Korea and Starbucks Japan swapped their most popular seasonal beverages in a cross-border menu exchange between the two markets.

Starbucks Japan began selling the Cream Puff Frappuccino and Cream Puff Latte, its own takes on Korea's Choux Cream Latte — now in its 10th year since debuting in Korea in 2017 — on March 13.

Starbucks Korea returned the gesture three days later by launching the Cherry Blossom White Peach Cream Frappuccino, a localized version of a drink previously available only in Japan. The caffeine-free beverage blends white peach and cherry blossom flavors with milk pudding and peach jelly. The drink is available through April 14.

The timing of the exchange is purposeful: Cherry blossom season is a major cultural moment in Korea, with festivals drawing millions of visitors to sites including Yeouido, western Seoul, and Jinhae, South Gyeongsang every spring.

A customer takes a photo of the Cherry Blossom White Peach Frappucino [STARBUCKS KOREA]

Cherry blossom season has also become a key time frame for the country's food and beverage industry's marketing teams, with cafes and brands rolling out limited-edition drinks, packaging and merchandise to capture the brief bloom. By importing a Japanese cherry blossom drink, Starbucks Korea can tap into that momentum.

The exchange works in the other direction for similar reasons. Cream puffs, known locally as “shu cream,” are one of Japan's most widely consumed desserts, with roots tracing back to the influx of Western confectionery during the Meiji era in the late 19th century, according to The Federation of Japan Confectionery Associations.

The pastry has since become a fixture of everyday life in the 20th century, found everywhere from convenience stores to specialty chains such as Beard Papa's. The history behind the dessert makes the Choux Cream Latte a novelty item that Japanese customers are still familiar with, as the drink contains flavors that they already love.

Promotional poster for the Cherry Blossom White Peach Frappucino [STARBUCKS KOREA]

Back in Korea, the Choux Cream Latte had become one of the brand's most reliable performers. Its latest seasonal run, which launched with an expanded lineup of six varieties on March 4, surpassed 3 million cups within a month, according to the beverage maker.

The seasonal swap was not the only Japanese import to land well in Korea this year. Starbucks Korea said on March 18 that its Sweet Milk Coffee, launched on Feb. 26, sold more than 500,000 cups in three weeks.

The iced brewed coffee with a vanilla cream base had built a following among Korean tourists visiting Starbucks locations in Japan, where it was a local favorite, generating buzz well before its domestic launch.

Sweet Milk Coffee, a new menu from Starbucks [STARBUCKS KOREA]

The cross-border collaboration was not entirely without precedent for Starbucks Korea. The company had previously sent its signature fall drink, the Black Glazed Latte, to Starbucks locations across the Asia-Pacific region.

“We wanted to offer a new experience by presenting the seasonal beverages of both Korea and Japan together to mark the 10th anniversary of the Choux Cream Latte,” said Choi Hyun-jung, the head of beverage development at Starbucks Korea. “We will continue to provide distinctive experiences through beverages that represent each season.”