Life

Good News, Starbucks Fans!

by Sarah Fielding
Starbucks

Known for its ethical principles, Starbucks is a company that cares about its consumers, as well as the person creating the product. Well, starting Jun. 13, this kindness will be on full display — literally. Starbucks has teamed up with Lady Gaga to release the Cups of Kindness Collection. The release is made up of four iced beverages — two of which, the Matcha Lemonade the the Violet Drink, are brand-new additions to the Starbucks menu — perfect for the current heat wave. So, when can you buy a cup of kindness for yourself? The promotion will be running in participating stores from Jun. 13 to 19 — and if these drinks are anything like the Unicorn Frappuccino, sold out might be in their near future. But, with the Cups of Kindness Collection promotion ending on Jun. 19, does that mean the availability of the Matcha Lemonade and the Violet Drink will follow suit?

Not at all! According to a Starbucks spokesperson, all drinks included in the collection — which is made up of the Matcha Lemonade and the Violet Drink, along with the previously-released Ombré Pink Drink and Pink Drink, will be available long after Jun. 19 and are permanent additions to the menu, but buying them between Jun. 13 and Jun. 19 will ensure some of your money is going toward a good cause: Starbucks will be donating 25 cents of each drink purchase to Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation. According to Starbucks' press release, the organization's mission is a commitment to, "supporting the wellness of young people and empowering them to create a kinder and braver world." Fittingly, Born This Way has declared 2017 their year of kindness, explaining that it is the foundation of all of their actions. The website also states that Born This Way will be collaborating with a variety of companies throughout the year, something to look forward to.

Funds raised by Starbucks will be put towards programs supporting the mission of Born This Way through "fostering kindness, improving mental health resources, and creating more positive environments," Starbucks states. Channel Kindness, a Born This Way platform created to feature stories of kindness youth have documented across the country will be a key program to benefit from this collaboration.

So what are the drinks offered in the Starbucks Cups of Kindness Collection? Each one is a burst of color, dairy-free, and under 150 calories when ordered in a grande size.

First is the new Matcha Lemonade. This drink is a vibrant green created by combining finely ground Teavana matcha green tea and lemonade.

Courtesy Of Starbucks

As for the other new addition, the Violet Drink is made of sweet blackberries and tart hibiscus of Very Berry Hibiscus Starbucks Refreshers Beverage swirl. To top it off creamy coconut milk is added in.

Your third option is the previously released Ombré Pink Drink. This combines light, fruity Cool Lime Starbucks Refreshers Beverage with creamy coconutmilk and a little bit of Teavana Shaken Iced Passion Tango Tea with a lime wheel. Released on Jun 1, you don't have to wonder what the Ombré Pink Drink tastes like. It is refreshing and tangy, the perfect Summer pick.

Last in the collection is the Pink Drink. This beverage is created with the sweet strawberry flavors of Strawberry Acai Refreshers and accents of passion fruit and acai, some coconut milk, and the final addition of a scoop of strawberries.

Starbucks has pledged a minimum donation of $250,000 to the Born This Way foundation, the equivalent of one million drinks. While one million drinks sounds like an insane amount, it's actually not that many drinks for Starbucks. In 2015, Business Insider reported that Starbucks used four billion cups a year, equalling around 389 million a day. With the interest these fun drinks are sure to bring, one million purchases doesn't look as out there anymore.

No matter which drink you choose each is sure to give you the refreshing burst you need. Plus now you have a whole week where you can justify your Starbucks addiction, since you're helping out a good cause. Drink up and make sure to spread kindness along the way.