Starbucks debuts 1971 Roast, new pastries; Rewards get free tall coffee Monday

Starbucks is sending Rewards members back to the counter with a free tall (12-ounce) brewed or iced coffee on Monday, Feb. 9, the day after Super Bowl LX, while rolling out a new dark-roast blend, six pastries and 1971-themed drinkware. The freebie and product launches aim to drive traffic on what the company has framed as Super Bowl Monday.

Rewards members should find a coupon in the Offers tab of the Starbucks app for the free tall brewed or iced coffee with the purchase of a qualifying drink of equal or greater value at participating U.S. Starbucks stores. Customers who are not yet in the Rewards program can join in the app; if the offer does not appear, baristas can often assist new members who order in-store. Ready-to-drink beverages and alcoholic beverages are excluded. Delivery is also excluded per the company guidance reported by outlets, and customizations may cost extra.

The new Starbucks 1971 Roast debuts in coffeehouses on Feb. 9 and is named for the year Starbucks opened its first store at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. The blend pairs coffees from Colombia, Sumatra and Brazil and is pitched as an ultra-dark roast with low acidity and a full-bodied profile that features notes of toasted sugar and nutty walnut. Brad Anderson, global master roaster, described the coffee this way: “This blend is like nothing we created before. You get this super complex and bold coffee, and it finishes very smoothly and velvety. It’s the best of two worlds.” Development for the roast took more than a year and more than 40 trial recipes. Sergio Alvarez, a barista-turned–coffee developer who joined Starbucks as a part-time barista in 2009, said: “Walking into the Pike Place store is something that you can’t recreate anywhere else. In many ways, 1971 Roast captures that feeling, giving customers a version of that moment when they open the bag and see those shiny coffee beans.”

Starbucks is also debuting six new pastries beginning Feb. 9: Dubai Chocolate Bite; Cookie Croissant Swirl; Berry Blondie; Strawberry Matcha Loaf; Yuzu Citrus Blossom; and Chocolate Pistachio Loaf. Food & Wine framed the lineup as two loaves, two croissants, dessert bites and a fruit-forward blondie, and AOL described the flavors as global-inspired. The bakery refresh is clearly meant to pair with the 1971 Roast and encourage touting beverages alongside new pastry choices.

Merchandising includes a limited 1971 drinkware collection of tumblers, mugs and cold cups available while supplies last. One example called out by retailers is the 1971 22-ounce Cold Cup with a suggested retail price of $24.95. Starbucks will also put heritage-inspired green paper cups featuring the original Starbucks logo into rotation for tall, grande and venti hot beverages throughout February while supplies last.

Starbucks tied the timing to the post-game lull after the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX, and outlets cited a UKG survey estimating 26.2 million employed Americans planned to miss work the day after the game. The free tall brewed or iced coffee, the 1971 Roast launch and bakery additions arrive as Starbucks courts in-store visits and continues to revamp Starbucks Rewards.

For coffee drinkers, the immediate takeaway is practical: check the Starbucks app Offers tab on Feb. 9 for the free tall brewed or iced coffee coupon, consider trying the new 1971 Roast if you prefer an ultra-dark, low-acidity cup, and expect limited supplies on heritage cups and 1971 drinkware. Watch your app and local store for availability and any location-specific restrictions as the promotion and product rollout proceed.