Starbucks Debuts the Aerocano, a South Korea-Inspired Iced Espresso Drink, Nationwide Today
Starbucks customers ordering their usual iced Americano today might notice something new sitting next to it on the menu board.
The company is rolling out the Aerocano, a new espresso drink, across its coffeehouses in the United States and Canada starting today, September 29, timed to land on National Coffee Day.
A Drink Borrowed From Starbucks’ South Korean Menu
According to Starbucks’ official announcement, the Aerocano combines Starbucks Blonde Espresso with ice and air-whipped foam, creating a light, velvety texture and what the company calls a signature cascading effect as the drink settles.
The idea traces back to a beverage that became popular in South Korea, where iced Americanos are a particular favorite among customers.
Chanda Beppu, senior vice president of Starbucks Asia Pacific, said in the company’s news release that combining Starbucks coffee, barista expertise, and the growing popularity of iced coffee made it the right moment to expand on the Americano platform with something that feels both familiar and new.
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The drink will be available in two versions: the original Aerocano and a Caramel Aerocano made with added caramel syrup. Both will join Starbucks’ core menu rather than arrive as a limited-time offer, meaning customers should be able to find them well beyond the fall season.
Built Around How the Drink Looks, Not Just How It Tastes
Part of what sets the Aerocano apart from a standard iced Americano is the amount of attention paid to its appearance. The air-whipping process is designed specifically to create a foam layer that holds its shape and slowly cascades through the drink, an effect meant to be noticed before the first sip is even taken.
Getting that effect to work consistently across thousands of stores took real development time. Per Sunset Magazine’s coverage of the launch, baristas needed a way to aerate the espresso that staff at every location could replicate reliably, not just in a test kitchen.
Sunset also noted that the drink originated in Starbucks’ South Korean stores in February, where iced drinks already make up more than 70% of Americano orders, part of a broader pattern in which the majority of Starbucks’ international beverage sales are cold.
More Than Just a New Drink
The Aerocano isn’t launching alone. According to Starbucks’ own announcement, the coffeehouse is also introducing three new Mini Pies today: Apple Crumble, Pecan, and Pumpkin, each inspired by classic fall flavors like tender apples with buttery streusel, toasted pecans with caramelized sweetness, and creamy pumpkin with warm spices.
Unlike the Aerocano, which is now a permanent menu item, the pies are available for a limited time only.
The timing lines up deliberately with National Coffee Day, an unofficial holiday that coffee brands across the industry use each year to highlight new products and run promotions.
For Starbucks, pairing a genuinely new menu addition with the holiday gives customers already planning a coffee run today a reason to try something they haven’t seen on the menu before.
What to Expect When You Order One
The Aerocano and Caramel Aerocano are available now at participating Starbucks locations across the U.S. and Canada.
Since the drink is joining the permanent core menu rather than appearing as a seasonal item, it should remain orderable well past today’s launch, unlike the three Mini Pies, which are on the menu for a limited time only.
For a company that built much of its identity on the Frappuccino and the Pumpkin Spice Latte, adding a new espresso-based drink to the permanent lineup is a fairly rare move.
Whether the Aerocano becomes a lasting fixture on Starbucks menus will likely depend on how today’s first wave of curious customers respond once they actually taste it.
