Starbucks' Frappuccino Mini Size Is Lower-Calorie Option, But May Be Gateway To Larger Drinks
Starbucks is two-for-two when it comes to meeting consumer demands: First, it was the protein-rich coffee. Now it’s a “mini” version of their Frappuccino — just in time for summer.
The coffee giant will offer the mini frap through July 6, 2015, or while supplies last in participating stores across the U.S. and Canada. It offers 10 ounces of coffee, 120 calories, and 24 grams of sugar, ABC News reported. For comparison, the “tall” size offers 12 ounces of coffee, 180 calories, and 26g of sugar.
There’s no word yet if the mini frap will become a permanent menu item — if it did, it might just serve as a gateway to Starbucks’ larger, sugar fraps and speciality drinks. Once consumers get a taste of a certain drink in the mini size, they'll realize they'll only have to pay an extra 20 to 30 cents for a larger size if they like it.
To The Street, the mini frap's reduced calories and sugar could be problematic for parents of young coffee-drinkers; it has the wherwithal to be "the modern day ice cream cone." A study published in the journal Pediatrics found caffeine intake among kids and young adults ages 2 to 22 increased 24 percent in 2010, which is up from 10 percent a decade ago. And according to MarketWatch, fraps and similar drinks are ideal for young kids and teens "who haven't acquired a taste for a straight black cup of coffee."
While coffee boasts several benefits, experts just aren't sure caffeinated energy drinks belong in a child's diet.