Starbucks is berry excited for boba.
The coffee chain is springing into summer early with the release of three new fruity Refreshers featuring juicy raspberry-flavored pearls, inspired by the popular East Asian beverage boba tea.
Typically made with tea and chewy tapioca pearls, Starbucks’ unique take on boba — aka bubble — tea tastes like “blueberries, blackberries and raspberries picked at the height of summer,” per the press release.
“We started out thinking about summer moments like hanging out by the pool and having a barbecue with friends,” Simon Vuong, beverage developer for Starbucks, said in a statement.
“We have never had a blue beverage, but when we first created the recipe, the color really captured the feeling we were going for – reminiscent of long, summer days and bright skies for everyone to enjoy.”
The Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers beverages, available in U.S. stores starting May 7, come in three variations: Summer-Berry (made with water), Summer-Berry with Lemonade (mixed with lemonade, of course), and Summer Skies Drink (combined with coconut milk).
“We started with fruit pieces, but we wanted something even bolder,” Vuong said. “So, we thought, ‘Let’s put fruit-flavored pearls in the beverage and try it out.’ It’s very fun the way it delivers the flavor when it pops in your mouth.”
All three drinks come with a wider green compostable straw to accommodate the pearls, perfect for both sipping and stirring.
The drinks are part of the summer menu and are only available for a limited time.