The blended coffee beverage was launched by Starbucks in 1995 — but they didn’t come up with the name.
In the summer of 1993, Starbucks was already experimenting with cold coffee concoctions in their California stores. The weather was warm and they knew their customers would love something cold and refreshing.
In the summer of 1994, according to Starbucks, the company acquired the Coffee Connection, based in Boston. But they got more than the locations in the deal.
Starbucks also acquired “one of their products called ‘frappuccino,’ a cold, slushy drink made using a soft-serve machine. Starbucks applied the name to its new blended beverage.”
By the following summer, the Starbucks Frappuccino was rolled out to all the stores in the U.S. and Canada, and the rest is history.
From March 26-30, to commemorate 20 years, be sure and grab a limited-time Birthday Cake Frappuccino, made with vanilla bean and hazelnut and topped with raspberry-infused whipped cream. Sugar high!
But don’t forget: the next time you’re craving a sweet, icy beverage that happens to include coffee — it partially originated in Boston.
