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WATCH: Worth the hype? We try Starbucks’ new food menu
Starbucks' model has worked for them but how does its new food menu shape up to its specialised popular coffee drinks? We test them out.
Starbucks salmon bagel. Picture: Supplied
Known as one of the best coffee spots in the country and the world, Starbucks is widening its food menu for coffee lovers to enjoy with their beverages.
It is always interesting to see how big franchises manage to innovate and adapt to the different changes in the market and adjust to the wants and needs of customers.
Starbucks has worked on a model of having a variety of coffee drinks, from latte, iced cappuccinos and more packed with sweet and interesting flavours that most competitors struggle to compete with.
Just like many cafes and coffee shops the food is usually grab and go style.
They are essentially light meals such as sandwiches, muffins and pastry goods.
The coffee franchise has rolled out a new menu of freshly prepared and ready to go snacks and treats in stores countrywide, which launched earlier this month.
The menu includes a granola pot with double-thick yoghurt and a blueberry topping, fresh salmon trout and cream cheese bagels with baby spinach and the macon (beef bacon) cheese toastie and croissant.
We visited Starbucks Rosebank, Johannesburg to try some of these new food items on their menu.
Watch: We try Starbucks’ new menu items
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From the menu, we had a bite of the macon and cheese toastie and granola pot.
The granola pot is reasonably priced at R49 and quite satisfying and filling.
The yoghurt is wonderfully rich, the granola should have been crunchier, however, we figured out this is the downfall of having it pre-packaged in a cup for the customer’s convenience.
The sandwiches are priced higher at R69.
Considering the price, competitors do price it less with some stores providing added chips for the same amount.
The macon cheese is sandwiched between Low GI seeded bread, it is tasty however we couldn’t justify the price tag.
The new menu has additional iced espresso beverages, which include the iced brown sugar oat shaken espresso, iced cocoa oat shaken espresso and the iced white mocha oat shaken espresso.
The iced expressos combine layers of rich coffee with a creamy oat-dairy alternative.
The iced white mocha oat shaken espresso was enjoyable. Starbucks’ specialised drinks usually taste like indulgent treats as they are on the sweeter side, and the white mocha is no different, starting at R61.
Starbucks has a loyal following and their ever so loyal clientele will eat this up.
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