Starbucks Card Latest Designs: Lunar New Year and Valentine's Day

Starbucks Philippines recently launched its newest Starbucks Card designs that showcase 2 celebrations this first quarter of 2014: the Lunar New Year and Valentine's Day.

The latest designs for the Starbucks Card

Both cards are available beginning today until February 24, 2014.

With the launch of these designs comes new card promotions:

Rewards with Free Add-ons
Guests who have newly registered their Starbucks Card at www.starbucks.ph/card or completed collecting the 12 Beverage Stars (1 drink purchase using the Starbucks Card = 1 Beverage Star) now get up to 2 free add-ons to their redeemed Grande drink. The free add-ons do not apply to beverages purchased with the Starbucks Card.

2014 Starbucks Planner Coupon
Starbucks Cards that have been newly activated with PHP1,000 (single transaction) from today until January 31, 2014 will receive an additional PHP100 load.

Load PHP500 Promo
Every PHP500 load or reload onto a Starbucks Card made between February 1 and 24, 2014 will automatically receive 1 Beverage Star. More star rewards for those who load in increments of PHP500 (example: get 3 Beverage Stars for loading the Starbucks Card with PHP1,500). This applies to newly activated and existing cards.

Valentine Cake Treat
From February 8 to 14, 2014, guests can get a free slice of cake when they purchase any 2 of the featured beverages (Asian Dolce Latte and Chestnut Macchiato) with their Starbucks Card.

Get more rewards for every visit at Starbucks.

Starbucks 2014 Planners

Starbucks Philippines has launched its 2014 Planners that are surely a must to collect this holiday season.

The Starbucks 2014 Planners

The planners come in yellow, brown, pink, and black colors, all inspired by the coffee roast profiles available in Starbucks: Blonde, Medium, Dark, and Exotic Roasts. All feature leather colors and bookmarks unique to each planner. As usual, they have coupons that you can redeem at specific months of the year, but this planner has added coffee stamp stickers and QR codes that contain videos that help each customer experience the whole bean coffees better.

The Starbucks 2014 Planners can be redeemed until January 8, 2014. All customers have to do is collect a total of 18 stickers on their promo card: 9 Christmas beverages (Toffee Nut Latte, Peppermint Mocha, or Gingerbread Latte) plus 9 core drinks (except bottled beverages).

Collect those stickers now and have your own Starbucks 2014 Planners!

Starbucks Philippines Christmas Beverages

The red cups are here!

Starbucks Philippines has recently launched its Christmas beverages, all available from November 2, 2013 to January 8, 2014. Two favorites are coming back -- Peppermint Mocha and Toffee Nut Latte -- while a new drink is found in stores: Gingerbread Latte.

Peppermint Mocha -- now with crushed candy cane topping

Toffee Nut Latte -- the same ol' favorite

Gingerbread Latte -- gingerbread flavor blended with roasted espresso and steamed milk

These are available as hot, cold, or Frappuccino. Prices are at PHP160 for tall, PHP175 for grande, and PHP185 for venti.

Hurry to your favorite Starbucks store to grab these delicious Christmas beverages today!

Starbucks Philippines introduces Ristretto Bianco and Salted Caramel Mocha

In its aim to further enhance the coffee drinking experience of Filipinos, Starbucks Philippines has recently released 2 beverages in the market.

First is the Ristretto Bianco, an espresso drink that's first sold in Starbucks' European branches. This rich and velvety espresso beverage is making its way into the Philippines, introducing a cup of full-bodied coffee shot with microfoamed whole milk.

Ristretto Bianco: a full-bodied espresso shot and microfoamed milk with a dot finish at the center.

The second beverage is a returning favorite: the Salted Caramel Mocha. Imagine espresso, steamed milk, mocha sauce, toffee nut syrup, and whipped cream plus a buttery caramel sauce and a concoction of turbinado sugar and smoked sea salt. Sweet and salty, but perfect in the tongue. Enjoy it hot or iced, or as a frappuccino drink.

Salted Caramel Mocha. Sweet, salty, indulgent. Available in hot, iced, or frappuccino.

The Ristretto Bianco costs PHP145 for tall, PHP160 for grande, and PHP170 for venti. Salted Caramel is at PHP150 for tall, PHP165 for grande, and PHP175 for venti. Both are available at all Starbucks Philippines stores until November 1, 2013.

Starbucks Philippines' Christmas Treats

Starbucks Philippines recently gave a sneak peak on the new and exciting items to watch out for this Yuletide Season. And this will truly leave you salivating in front of your screens.

First, it brings back the favorite Christmas beverages, Toffee Nut Latte and Peppermint Mocha. At the same time, it introduces the latest addition to its handcrafted drinks: Cranberry White Chocolate Mocha.

The red cups are back: Starbucks Cranberry White Chocolate Mocha

Next, it launches its limited-edition food items -- some new, some doing a comeback. Savory fare includes Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Roll, Chicken Alfredo Turnover, Texas Chicken BBQ Wrap, Glazed Ham with Apricot Spread on Multigrain Bread, and Turkey and Chicken with Apple Stuffing on Whole Wheat Walnut Bread.

Glazed Ham with Apricot Sauce

Texas Chicken BBQ Wrap

Turkey and Chicken with Apple Stuffing

The sweet ones are the Pecan Butterscotch Twirl, Hazelnut Stollen Bread, Smores, Triple Decker Cheesecake with Snickers, and Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake.

Triple Decker Cheesecake with Snickers

Pecan Butterscotch Twirl

Among the returning favorites are the Chocolate Toffee Nut Loaf, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie, Peppermint Brownie, Gingerbread Cookie, and Molten Chocolate Cake.

Chocolate Toffee Nut Loaf

Gingerbread Cookie

Starbucks also releases is Christmas Blend, in bean and VIA ready brew variations.

Starbucks Christmas Blend (whole beans)

And the best part of all: the launch of the Starbucks Coffee 2012 Planner.

The Starbucks 2012 Planners

With the theme, "Starbucks Shared Planet," the planners are made with materials reflect the company's commitment in doing business in ways that are good to each other and the planet. This year's collection comes in 5 variants: Bamboo, Cherry, Oak, Poplar, and Spruce. Each comes with a small burlap bag that can be used for things other than storing your planner.

To redeem them, all you need to do is collect stickers by buying 9 Christmas beverages and 8 core beverages (except bottled). Another option is to purchase 23 core drinks. You can start collecting on November 3, 2012 until January 28, 2012.

All these abovementioned items are available in your favorite Starbucks stores come November 3. Excited? Head to a branch near you and grab these superb treats!

Starbucks' latest drink + new breakfast offerings

I know you're all excited for the Miss Universe 2011. Just to keep you cool, here's Starbucks Philippines' new offering: the Creme Brulee Frappuccino.

Starbucks Creme Brulee Frappuccino

A sweet concoction of coffee, milk, and caramel -- a truly enjoyable drink that persons with a sweet tooth will love.

It also has a hot and iced version, the Creme Brulee Macchiato.

The hot and iced (background) versions of the Creme Brulee Macchiato

And what better pair with these new drinks than the latest breakfast items of Starbucks:

The new breakfast sandwiches and pies

Choose from: French Toast; Spam Classic, Egg and Cheese on Cornmeal Bread; Vigan Longganisa, Egg and Mozzarella on Whole Wheat Pandesal; Turkey and Chicken Ham, Egg White and Emmenthal on Whole Wheat Cornmeal Bread; Spinach, Artichoke, Mushroom and Mozzarella on Rye Bread; Roasted Chicken Egg Cup Toast; and Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Tart.

Plus, Starbucks also releases a limited edition cake, the Chocolate Rum Cheesecake.

All of these yummy food and beverage items are available beginning September 13. So head on to a Starbucks store near you and avail of these delectable treats!

Starbucks' new lunch sandwiches + 2 new Frappuccino beverages

Starbucks Philippines is whipping up something new for its 2011 menu, and this will surely have their patrons salivating.

Beginning August 9, it will launch 7 new Hot Lunch Sandwiches and 2 Frappuccino blended beverages in all Starbucks stores. Made with high-quality ingredients, the latest in its menu promises to be oh-so delicious, you'll be having a hard time picking which one is your favorite among them.

Among the 7 sandwiches, 4 of them will be available in all Starbucks stores around the country. They are:

Ultimate Grilled Cheese

The Beef Brisket

Roasted Vegetables on Flat Bread (left)

Roasted Chicken Pesto and Shiitake Mushroom on Flat Bread

Two of them will be available in all Starbucks branches except in Baguio, Naga, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, CDO and Davao:

The Clubhouse

Tuna Waldorf on Raisin Walnut Bread

And this yummy lunch sandwich can be bought only in Baguio, Naga, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, CDO and Davao:

Tuna Melt on Rye Bread

And while the sandwich line says "lunch," they're actually available the whole day.

Not only is Starbucks offering new foodstuff, they're also launching 2 new blended beverages on August 9:

Don't they sound delicious?

But that's not all: they're also releasing a special limited edition dessert called the Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cheesecake. Take a look:

The decadent Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cheesecake

And speaking of limited, Starbucks Philippines is also offering a special promo on August 15 and 16, 2011. Get Php50.00 off on any of their lunch sandwiches when you purchase one plus a Starbucks handcrafted beverage (hot or cold, and not the bottled ones). This can be availed on all Starbucks branches on the said dates only.

Hungry now? I am, too. Can't wait until August 9 when Starbucks makes them all available. By then, I'll surely be rushing into the nearest branch.

However you want it: Starbucks Personalized Frappuccino

Starbucks Philippines recently launched the "However You Want It Frappuccino Blended Beverage" wherein you can customize your Starbucks frap by adding or removing components. Now, coffee afficionados can create a blended beverage that suits their taste and reflects their personality.

Customizing your Starbucks Frappuccino can be done by:
- choosing your milk: regular, non-fat, soy;
- choosing your coffee's strength: regular or decaf;
- adding the special Frappuccino Roast or getting an extra espresso shot;
- adding extra syrup or drizzle;
- doing away with the "calorie-adding" stuff: no whip, sugar-free syrup, etc.

To help spread the word, Starbucks held a blogger event where they launched their new concoctions, the Extra Coffee Caramel Frappuccino Blended Beverage and Soy Green Tea Cream Frappuccino Blended Beverage.

Starbucks Extra Coffee Caramel Frappuccino

Starbucks Soy Green Tea Cream Frappuccino

They also encouraged the attendees to customize their favorite Starbucks fraps -- and actually make them!

(Disclaimer: crappy quality photos from my phone. My camera was "indisposed" that night, hehe!)

Love from Starbucks' marketing dept. assists Jon of Blogger Manila in writing his personalized frap on the Starbucks shirt.

My own beverage: Single Tall White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino Blended Beverage

Carmi of Starbucks teaches guests the steps in making the frap.

Yuri of Lost Tsinelas whips up his customized Starbucks frap.

My personalized White Chocolate Mocha (no extra espresso shot, though). Too much whipped cream, eh?

After creating our own personalized frappuccinos, Starbucks served us their new food items that are great complements to their coffee:

Left: Mango Peach Cream Pie. On the plate: Coffee Brownie (made with Starbucks VIA), Five Cheese Turnover, Chicken Galantina and Fontina Cheese on Pandesal, Chicken Buffalo Bleu, Tiramisu Cheesecake (made with Starbucks VIA).

At this point, maybe you're thinking, "I wanna make my own unique frap, but I'm not quite sure how to start." Good thing there's frappuccino.com.ph to give you a guide on creating your own frappuccino concoction.

So what are you waiting for? Visit a Starbucks branch near you and order your own customized frappuccino.

Starbucks gets ready for Christmas

... and you know what that means.

The above photo is their teaser, but the Starbucks 2011 Planners are here! It's that time of the year when collectors can start accumulating stickers to get these limited edition planners.

I got a chance to take a closer look (unfortunately didn't get a chance to take a photo of the inside pages). The cover features a stencil of a man enjoying a cup of coffee by a window. The planners come in a size similar to the present planners, and they also have different textures: the red has a velvety touch, the steel gray has a smooth finish, and the brown one looks like wood.

The inside pages show some bits about the brand. I thumbed through the pages and, to my delight, saw that the spaces for each date have lines. YES! That means I can write in a straight line much easier. Whoohoo!

I actually like these designs more than the 2010 planners. That's why I've bought my first Starbucks Christmas drink today.

Cute cup, eh?

Yup, the Christmas variants are back: Praline Mocha, Toffee Nut Latte, and Peppermint Mocha. I forgot that I was ordering the hot version -- I should've gotten the Toffee Nut Latte instead of Peppermint Mocha. The latter's better iced or as a frap. Both Praline and Toffee Nut are great hot.

15 stickers to go before I pick either the red or the silver planner. It's time to get your Starbucks Planner now, too!

** Thanks to Mich for the planner photos.