Starbucks in China Introduces Pork-Flavored Latte for Chinese New Year Celebration

In anticipation of the Chinese New Year (Chūnjié), Starbucks in China has launched a pork-flavored latte to cater to the Chinese who love pork.

On the 20th (local time), CNN reported that Starbucks in China introduced a pork-flavored coffee named “Delicious Latte for a Prosperous Year” to celebrate Chūnjié.

A photo posted on Weibo by the Shanghai Starbucks Reserve Roastery shows a square piece of pork on top of the latte foam with a deep reddish sauce.

The Roastery stated on Weibo a few days before the start of Chūnjié on February 5th, “Eating meat signifies prosperity for the coming year.” They added, “(This latte) incorporates traditional New Year’s customs into coffee” and described it as having an “unexpected savory and sweet taste.”

Starbucks is known to have introduced this new beverage to commemorate Chūnjié, the biggest holiday in China.

According to the Starbucks delivery app, the price of the latte is 68 yuan (approximately $10.60) per cup. This drink mixes Dongpo braised pork sauce, espresso, and hot milk. It is also decorated with additional pork sauce and pork breast.

Dong Po Rou, a traditional braised pork belly dish, is often mentioned as a Chinese New Year’s dish.

The Starbucks pork latte quickly gained popularity on Chinese social media, achieving over 470,000 views on Weibo at the time of posting.

However, some local consumers pointed out that the drink is expensive.

One Weibo user responded, “With 68 yuan, I could eat a plate of braised pork and have two cups of latte at Luckin (a Chinese coffee franchise).” Another user said, “It’s okay for both pork and coffee to be in my stomach at the same time, but not in my mouth at the same time.”

Jiupai News, a site affiliated with the state-run Changjiang Daily, reported that this pork latte sold out at a Starbucks store in Wuhan. Customers told the media that the latte provides a “dense yet smooth, unique texture” and “unique taste.”