Starbucks x Hello Kitty Collab? That's Lowkey Fire 🔥 But Starbucks Also Kinda Toast? ☕️📉
Starbucks is partnering with Hello Kitty this holiday season. Here’s what one retail expert thinks of the collaboration. Starbucks droppin' a Hello Kitty collab for the holidays, but a retail expert thinks Hello Kitty finna eat. Starbucks is also restructuring, closin' stores and cutting jobs. Coffe
TL:DR
Starbucks droppin' a Hello Kitty collab for the holidays, but a retail expert thinks Hello Kitty finna eat. Starbucks is also restructuring, closin' stores and cutting jobs. Coffee bean prices are up, so maybe that daily Starbucks is a lil boujee.
The Deets
Okay, so Starbucks and Hello Kitty are teaming up for a limited-edition collection dropping November 6th in the U.S. and Canada. Think mugs, water bottles, the works. Prices? Not gonna lie, kinda steep - $36.95 to $50.95. But, like, it's Hello Kitty, so people are gonna eat it up.
But here's the tea: One retail analyst, Bruce Winder, is saying Hello Kitty might actually benefit MORE from this collab than Starbucks. Like, Starbucks is already a whole brand, but Hello Kitty has a HUGE following, especially overseas. Winder saying Starbucks must position it like a premium product or this collab ain't gonna collab fr fr.
Also, lowkey, Starbucks is going through it rn. They're restructuring, which basically means they're trying to fix things. They're planning on closing about 1% of their stores in the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2025. Bruh, that's wild. They already yeeted some stores in Canada and cut around 900 non-retail jobs. Sounds like they're tryna save that bag. The company is led by CEO Brian Niccol, who took over in August 2024.
The analyst also thinks the economy is playing a role. Rising prices got everyone cutting back on stuff, even coffee runs. And, fam, coffee bean prices have more than doubled in the last three years! Even Tim Hortons had to raise their prices. The economy is not vibing rn.
But wait, there's more! Starbucks is also dropping their 2025 holiday menu on November 6th! Peppermint Mocha's back, the Caramel Brulee Latte is returning, Iced Sugar Cookie Latte, Iced Gingerbread Chai, Chestnut Praline Latte, and Eggnog Latte are also being released again as well. They are bringing new bakery items into the fold, like the Polar Bear Cake Pops and Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread. Old stuff like the Snowman Cookie, Cranberry Bliss Bar, and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish are also returning to the menu!
And don't forget Red Cup Day! You get a free reusable red cup with a holiday drink purchase. Plus, they're dropping new holiday drinkware and a whole espresso martini collection.
Abbreviations Glossary
| Abbreviation | Full Form |
|---|---|
| Finna | Going to |
| Eat | To do very well. |
| Tea | Gossip or information |
| Lowkey | Secretly or subtly |
| Bruh | Bro or friend |
| Yeeted | To throw, but in this case it means to close. |
| Got everyone cutting back on stuff | People don't have money to spend. |