Starbucks Sorbetto launched in Southern California in July 2008. Photo: Los Angeles Times / Michael Ramirez
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Starbucks is saying “so long to Sorbetto”. The tangy Pinkberry-inspired beverage debuted on July 15, 2008 to a select number of Starbucks stores in Orange and Los Angeles counties. The company considered Southern California as the “perfect test market” for the innovative drink, but poor sales and grumbling baristas prevented Sorbetto from a national rollout.
During the launch, Cos La Porta, a Starbucks senior vice president, told the Los Angeles Times that the drinks were the result of extensive customer research. "This is what our customers have told us that they want," he said. La Porta went on to say that he was in Italy in early 2008 on a scouting mission with Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz when they came across a drink similar to the Sorbetto. "The point of the trip was to get inspired ... four months later, it's here."
Some wondered if the yogurt-based summer beverage would be the next Frappuccino. It came in three basic flavors – Tangy Sorbetto (a drinkable version of Pinkberry yogurt); Citrus Ice Sorbetto (a fruity, slushy-like drink); and Tangy Citrus Ice Sorbetto (a combination of the first two Sorbettos). You also had the option of customizing the Tangy Sorbetto by adding fruit juices such as mango or mixed berry.
Sounds refreshingly delicious…so why didn’t Sorbetto succeed? Upon reflection, a number of factors may have been involved. First, according to La Porta, the product went from inspiration to market in just four months. Some analysts believe there was actually very little consumer testing done before the product hit stores.
Secondly, Sorbetto launched at the same time as the Starbucks Vivanno Smoothies. Since both beverages targeted the same health-conscious, smoothie/icy-loving consumers, Vivanno may have cannibalized Sorbetto sales. Plus, why pay $2.95 for a 10-ounce Sorbetto when you could pay a dollar more for a 16-ounce Vivanno?
And maybe the number one reason for Sorbetto’s demise…the baristas weren’t 100% behind it. It is important that your frontline employees are excited about a new product. They are your sales force after all. Many baristas complained that the machinery used to create Sorbetto was too labor-intensive and time-consuming. This could be the kiss of death when baristas are evaluated on “speed of service” and cleaning the machine took up to 45 minutes. Why promote such a high-maintenance beverage with a reduced labor force on the floor?
Even though Sorbetto went the way of the now-defunct Starbucks Chantico, it appears Starbucks Vivanno Smoothies are doing very well. In fact, the company introduced a new flavor, Strawberry Banana Vivanno Smoothie, this summer.
Were you one of the lucky ones to try the Starbucks Sorbetto? What did you think?
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