Unicorn Frappuccino

Unicorn Frappuccino
OriginUnited States
Introduced2017

The Unicorn Frappuccino was a viral drink created by Starbucks, introduced in April 2017.[1][2][3] The drink was made available in select stores in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It is made with ice, milk, pink powder, sour blue powder, crème Frappuccino syrup, mango syrup, and blue drizzle. In the Venti, 24 ounces (680 g) size, it contains 500 calories, 18 grams of fat, 76 grams of sugar, and 55 milligrams of cholesterol.[4] The drink was available only for a limited time, from April 19, 2017 to April 25, 2017.

The Unicorn Frappuccino was criticized by the Stratford Health Department for having too much sugar.[5] This was due to the fact that the American Heart Association recommends that women consume 0.88 ounces (25 g) of sugar every day, and that men consume 1.3 ounces (36 g) of sugar every day.[6]

Some saw the "vibrantly hued, flavor-shifting, color-changing" drink as part of a larger, social media-fueled embrace of the unicorn in 2017.[7][8][9]

Reception

Due to the high publicity of the drink, many people and celebrities alike had much to say about everything from the flavor profile to the nutrition facts. These reactions encouraged more interest from viewers and sparked concern from health-focused peers and institutions.[10] Notable reactions include famous food reviewer and critic Anthony Bourdain stating “Wow, that’s like four things I hate all in one sentence: Starbucks, unicorns, and the colors pink and purple. Also a Frappuccino! It’s the perfect nexus of awfulness. Just add pumpkin spice to that mix, and you can nuke the whole county,”[11] when asked about his feeling on the newly released drink in an interview with Town & Country Magazine.

Another celebrity reaction that created a public moment was a viral video of pop singer Katy Perry spitting out a sip of the drink in an Instagram story with the caption "I couldn't handle drinking my own blood [unicorn emoji]."[12] Additional reactions from baristas ranting online about the intense demand for the limited edition drink combined with the labor intensive process of creating the drink and the many complex ingredients spread across the internet.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ Roy, Jessica (April 19, 2017). "Taste test: Starbucks is now serving a Unicorn Frappuccino". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  2. ^ Bowerman, Mary (April 18, 2017). "People are freaking out over Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino". USA Today. Gannett Company. ISSN 0734-7456. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  3. ^ Judkis, Maura (April 19, 2017). "Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino tastes like sour birthday cake and shame". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 2269358. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  4. ^ Unicorn Frappuccino® Blended Crème, Starbucks, 2017, archived from the original on 25 April 2017, retrieved 25 April 2017
  5. ^ "Stratford Health Department says 'No' to 'Unicorn'". AP News. 2017-04-23. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
  6. ^ Cuda, Amanda (April 23, 2017). "Stratford Health Department says 'No' to 'Unicorn'". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  7. ^ Kline, Daniel (7 June 2017), Is 1 of These Drinks Starbucks' Next Unicorn Frappuccino?, The Motley Fool, archived from the original on 7 June 2017, retrieved 24 June 2017
  8. ^ Eaton, Hillary (2 June 2017), You Can Now Turn All Your Food into Unicorn Food, Food & Wine, archived from the original on 11 June 2017, retrieved 2 June 2017
  9. ^ How social media influences food trends, Al Jazeera, 28 May 2017, archived from the original on 1 June 2017, retrieved 2 June 2017
  10. ^ "Stratford Health Department says 'No' to 'Unicorn'". AP News. 2017-04-23. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
  11. ^ "Anthony Bourdain, American Hero, Calls the Unicorn Frappuccino "the Perfect Nexus of Awfulness"". Town & Country. 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
  12. ^ "Katy Perry spits out Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino after one sip". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
  13. ^ "Why Starbucks Baristas Are Rebelling Against the Unicorn Frappuccino". Inc.com. Archived from the original on 2022-08-16. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
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