"Korea is a market with high iced coffee consumption regardless of the season. Because more than 70% of Americanos are iced Americanos, global Starbucks decided to debut the new iced coffee 'Aeroccano' in Korea first."
Choi Hyun-jung, executive director in charge of food and beverage development at Starbucks Korea, said this at a coffee class event on the morning of the 25th at the Starbucks Support Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, held to mark the launch of Aeroccano.
Starbucks Korea will be the first among Starbucks locations worldwide to launch Aeroccano, a new style of Americano. Aeroccano is an iced-only coffee that adds aerating (air infusion) to an Americano. It will go on sale at Starbucks stores in Korea starting on the 26th.
Starbucks Korea said the fine foam of Aeroccano expresses the espresso's inherent weight and bitterness in a smooth and light flavor, and is expected to offer a new alternative for customers who favor basic iced coffees such as iced Americano and cold brew.
Alexandra Orsolic, senior product manager for the Asia-Pacific region at Starbucks, said, "It didn't take much deliberation to decide where to launch Aeroccano for the first time in the world," adding, "Korea is the most dynamic market. We judged it to be the place leading the so-called 'eoljuka' (iced Americano even if you freeze to death) trend of enjoying iced coffee even in midwinter."
In fact, over the past three years, iced Americanos have accounted for more than 70% of Americanos sold at Starbucks Korea each year.
Starbucks highlighted the differentiation points of Aeroccano by comparing it with existing menu items such as iced Americano and cold brew. According to a Starbucks official, iced Americano has a refreshing, water-like texture and is a coffee focused on quickly taking in caffeine and waking up. Cold brew is extracted at a low temperature for more than 20 hours, has a rich body, and is suitable for consumers who want to enjoy the flavor of coffee slowly.
Aeroccano is a coffee that maintains the flavor of an Americano while delivering a smooth texture and creamy foam. A Starbucks official said, "If Americano and cold brew are static coffees, Aeroccano is a menu that emphasizes a sensory experience that includes visuals and touch, like a waterfall." The official added, "Like the difference between bottled beer and draft beer, the ingredients are the same, but the drinking experience is completely different."
Starbucks Korea plans to offer Aeroccano year-round rather than as a seasonal drink to strengthen beverage competitiveness and expand its coffee lineup. Customers can choose beans such as Blonde and decaf. The price is 4,900 won for a Tall, 200 won more than the existing iced Americano.