Pork-Flavored Coffee? Starbucks China Raises Eyebrows with Unique Brew

Starbucks in China has launched a pork-flavored drink to celebrate the Lunar New Year, the biggest holiday in the country.

On the 20th (local time), CNN reported that Starbucks in China released a pork-flavored coffee to celebrate the Lunar New Year. This drink was reportedly made to celebrate China’s biggest holiday, Lunar New Year.

A few days before the start of the Lunar New Year, Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai, China, posted on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, explaining, “Eating meat signifies prosperity in the coming year.” They described the drink as “a fusion of traditional Lunar New Year customs with coffee, creating an unexpected savory and sweet flavor.” Recently, they posted a picture of the drink.

The drink, “Braised Pork Latte,” combines braised pork sauce with espresso and steamed milk, topped with rich pork sauce and pork belly. The price is 68 yuan, which is about $9.

Meanwhile, some users who tried this coffee pointed out the price, stating that it would be better to eat real braised pork for the same price.

One netizen commented, “With 68 yuan, I can eat a plate of braised pork and go to Luckin Coffee (a Chinese coffee franchise) to drink two lattes.” Another netizen reacted negatively, saying, “It’s okay to have pork and coffee in my stomach at the same time but not in my mouth at the same time.”