2 min read- Starbucks’ summer menu launches May 12, featuring the new Tropical Butterfly Refresher with passionfruit, guava, and mango-pineapple pearls.
- The Iced Horchata Shaken Espresso returns alongside a new Horchata Frappuccino.
- The Unicorn Cake Pop and new summer merch collections, including a Miffy collab, are also part of the seasonal rollout.
Starbucks is officially kicking off summer on May 12, and this year’s menu is doing a little bit of everything: tropical refreshers, the return of horchata, and—random but important—the comeback of the Unicorn Cake Pop.
Let’s start with the new drink.
The Tropical Butterfly Refresher is the big debut of the season, combining passionfruit and guava flavors with mango-pineapple pearls for a layered texture. It’s finished with butterfly pea flower, which gives the drink a naturally vibrant purple color. So yes, this is very much a see it on my Instagram story before I taste it situation.
Flavor-wise, it leans into the same tropical direction we’re seeing across fast food right now, but with a little more going on, thanks to the pearls.
On the returning side, Starbucks is bringing back its Iced Horchata Shaken Espresso, which originally launched last year and quickly became a fan favorite.
Inspired by traditional horchata, the drink blends Blonde Espresso with a cinnamon-vanilla horchata syrup and oatmilk for a creamy, slightly spiced flavor with subtle toasted-rice notes. It’s one of the few drinks on the menu that actually bridges coffee and dessert in a way that works.
And if that wasn’t enough, Starbucks is also introducing a Horchata Frappuccino, expanding the flavor into a more indulgent, blended format.
Outside of drinks, the Unicorn Cake Pop is making its return, which feels less like a menu update and more like a seasonal ritual at this point. It’s the same vanilla cake and sprinkles situation, dipped in white coating and decorated with the signature unicorn face.
There’s also a full summer merchandise push, including a “Road Trip” collection with tumblers, a mini tote, and even a foldable picnic blanket. Plus, a limited-time collaboration with the iconic rabbit cartoon, Miffy, is set to launch May 19, bringing themed drinkware and accessories to stores across the U.S. and Canada.
Overall, this menu isn’t a major reinvention; it’s more of a continuation. Starbucks is sticking with what’s been working: colorful refreshers, nostalgic flavors, and a mix of new and returning items that are easy to recognize.
The full summer lineup hits stores on May 12, just in time for iced-drink season.