FOOD NEWS
What Actually Happened To Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino?
BY MATTHEW SPINA
"Unicorn food" once had a hold on the internet, with everything from cakes to bagels in rainbow or pastel colors. No item defined the era like Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino.
The drink, which used sweet pink powder, mango syrup, and a sour blue drizzle to create a colorful unicorn effect, was sold at Starbucks locations for just five days.
Despite its wild popularity at the time, the Unicorn Frappuccino has never returned to stores. One potential reason fans may not know about involves legal troubles for Starbucks.
A Brooklyn cafe sued the chain, saying the Unicorn Frappuccino was a rip-off of a latte the independent store had released months earlier.
A more concrete reason for the complicated Frapp's demise is that baristas took to social media to vent about the frustration of making it, and encouraged customers to not order it.
Meanwhile, both fans and pro reviewers complained about the drink's off-putting flavor, with one Washington Post reviewer saying it tasted like "sour birthday cake and shame."
The Unicorn Frapp boosted sales significantly at the time, but its removal seems to be permanent, and similar drinks like the Zombie Frappuccino were a flop for the company.