Starbucks' Cold Cups Are Getting A Makeover. Here's What We Know

Brace yourself Starbucks fans — the company is rolling out a redesign on their cold cups, an impactful switch considering that cold drinks account for 75% of US beverage sales. The new cups have an original design crafted by Starbucks, whose mission was to not only reduce waste but also make the cups more accessible to its customers. 

So, what makes these cups unique? For one thing, the new design uses up to 20% less plastic than the current cold cup design and makes for straw-free sipping. At the same time, they feature one lid that fits all Starbucks cup sizes — tall, grande, and venti. Thanks to feedback from store partners, the new cups will also feature clear drink line markers and raised letters to indicate cup size, all designed to support low-vision customers and employees.

You won't have to wait long to see what these cups are like in person, either. They're set to start making appearances in stores throughout both the U.S. and Canada in April 2024, although the rollout will be fully implemented over the remaining months of the year.

Back in 2020, Starbucks implemented strawless lids as part of its commitment to going green, and this particular redesign is another step towards the company's goal of all its cups being recyclable, compostable, or reusable by the year 2030. It's another major step toward sustainability for Starbucks, with this new design slated to help prevent 13.5 million pounds of plastic from piling up in landfills each year, all without incurring extra costs.

The cup design supports other environmentally conscious initiatives of the coffee chain as well, such as its reusable cup program that awards customers a $0.10 discount on their drinks along with 25 bonus stars if they're members of the company's loyalty program. Other moves include using recycled materials in cup sleeves, offering for-here cups, and swapping out drink stoppers for recyclable stickers.

The company is also testing other initiatives, including returnable cups. So, as exciting as this cup redesign is, it may be just one tenet of even more innovative green initiatives to come from the coffee conglomerate.