Coffee has been a long-standing and iconic staple in many people’s daily lives for centuries. It’s no wonder that the popularised coffee beverages available in the world’s most recognised café franchises draws the attention of prospective customers and curious coffee drinkers from various countries. Starbucks Mocha has gained immense popularity amongst the diverse range of drinks offered in their store, but does this drink really contain coffee?
Shockingly, there is no coffee included in Starbucks’s Mocha base, although it is flavoured with coffee extract. This extract is derived from coffee beans and is infused with cocoa. Usually this includes Dutch-process cocoa powder, sugar, or other sweeteners, and vanilla extract.
Surprisingly, the primary inclusion of this drink is a flavoured sugar-based syrup. This syrup is what contributes to the majority of the composition, and it’s because of this syrup present in the drink that coffee is not featured in the real recipe. This syrup consists of water and other flavourings like vanilla extract and cocoa, which are tailored and measured to conceive the desired flavours of the drink.
Nutritionists remain wary of the beverages offered at Starbucks due to the large amount of calories and sugars they feature. In a standard grande-sized Starbucks Mocha, there are over 200 calories, 44g carbohydrate and 38g sugars. Health experts would suggest that drinking a grande-sized Starbucks Mocha would dramatically increase one’s daily recommended consumption of sugars, depending on the individual.
Overall, many people are still unaware that there is no actual coffee within a Starbucks Mocha. The confusion could lie within the nature of the drink and the ingredients used in its construction. It is understandable that many customers can mistake the extract for the actual product. While it does indeed contain flavourings found in coffee, it does not feature nor require it to be classified as a mocha.
Does it Contain Caffeine?
Caffeine may be the absolute backbone of coffee, but the good news is that Starbucks Mocha does still contain caffeine. Although the drink does not feature coffee, the sweetened syrup does contain a decent amount. Starbucks actually sells a variety of their own syrups, and each can alter the drink’s caffeine amount.
A grande-sized Starbucks Mocha contains around 75mg of caffeine, which is comparable to a grande-sized latté which contains around 150mg of caffeine. This amount is much lower than other caffeinated drinks like a grande-sized brewed coffee, which contains around 365mg of caffeine.
It is unclear why Starbucks opted to exclude coffee from the recipe, but caffeine could still be considered a highlighting factor for many customers. It could be assumed that the company instead wished to provide its customers with a sweetened hot chocolate beverage, with the slightest hint of coffee.
Are There Health Benefits?
Many components used to create the mocha syrup do hold their own advantages towards overall health. The cocoa and vanilla extracts can benefit the body in numerous ways. Cocoa is found to contain powerful antioxidants, minerals and compounds which can benefit the cardiovascular system. Vanilla extract can be known to carry anti-inflammatory benefits in its ingredients, as well as being an important dietary fibre.
These properties within the mocha syrup can contribute to the daily intake of vital nutrients, although the large caloric and sugar density consumed with this type of drink should still be taken into account. One should also consider the wide range of harmful components stimulated from the syrups, as it can contain a high amount of saturated fat.
Making Changes
Today, many coffee drinkers continue to downsize the coffee bases used in their drinks and opt for coffee free alternatives. Starbucks have introduced various alterations to their recipe in recent years, like substituting the syrup for non-fat milk, or replacing the syrup with a flavoured steamed milk such as coconut. This is still known to contribute to the popularity of the drink. Customer demand remains to be influenced by the many large chain cafés, where Starbucks still remain one of the world’s most recognised symbols.
Not only do customers prefer to consume coffee-free alternatives, but Starbucks are now offering a more sustainable range of drinks. Many customers remain conscious of their environmental footprint and the company remains to offer more philanthropic solutions to their customers’ demands. Changes to their dairy components, as well as introducing plant-based alternatives like almond and oat milk are now being offered.
Alternatives to Mocha
The Starbucks menu has a wide range of alternatives for customers, but for those still looking for a coffee-free beverage and still seek the mocha flavours, there are a few other options. A small range of dairy-free and coffee free beverages can still be offered by Starbucks, like the popular Raspberry Flat White, which does not feature coffee or coffee extracts within its recipe.
The traditional Hot Chocolate is also still a popular option for many non-coffee consumers, or even customers who simply like to enjoy a classic beverage, although this is not offered in the Starbucks’s specialty drinks menu and is usually considered an ‘extra’. This beverage is much more calorie and sugar friendly, with around 100 calories and 28g of carbohydrate in a grande-sized cup.
Is The Drink Profitable?
Research conducted by industry professionals of the café and restaurant industry suggest that the recipe used to construct the Starbucks Mocha has likely increased the company’s immense success. This is no doubt derived from the expansive range of flavours they offer, and the great attention to detail used in each of their beverages. Experts also agree that the profit taken from such a drink is hard to pin-point or accurately measure, as the company keeps their data and financials well concealed for privacy reasons.
Although Starbucks does not feature coffee in the Mocha, the great attention in detail used in the construction of the beverage and the loyal customer base it has created, can still be considered as a strong influencer to their wealth and success. Regardless, this drink is still a favorite for many customers and could be used as an indicative factor for the company finding their immense success.
Flavours of Mocha
Starbucks has introduced many variations to their Mocha range. There is now a selection of different flavours, like the classic Caramel Mocha and the new Spiced Mocha with almond drizzle. There is also the White Chocolate Mocha, which consists of espresso, steamed milk, white chocolate sauce and cinnamon dolce-flavoured syrup, differing from the classic due to the omission of the cocoa powder.
As well as being able to choose the mocha syrup, customers can also change the type of milk used for the beverage. Starbucks offer a range of dairy free and plant based options in store, like almond, oat, coconut and soy milks. For those a little more conscious of their sugar intake, the store also offers classic or vanilla flavoured syrups which contain only a percentage of the original sweetener.
Customer Reception
Depending on the customer’s geographical location, the Starbucks Mocha may not appeal to all cultures and their perception towards the drink may differ to many other countries. As previously mentioned, customers remain conscious about their environmental footprint and limits placed on traditional ingredients for their drinks today.
It is often thought that the customer’s personal quality in life is greatly emphasised within their beverage choices and it can often be suggested that the Starbucks Mocha is often considered a luxurious or elitist drink.
Overall, the customer’s reception towards the drink can differ from a variety of demographic and economical backgrounds. For the modern-day customer searching for a sweetened beverage, then the Starbucks Mocha can be a great fit.
Consumer Loyalty
Research suggests that American and Canadian customers remain loyal to their favourite café stores, as it has become a part of contemporary day culture. Customers often sway towards the more recognisable franchise corporations, where they are deemed as reliable and trustworthy. Customers remain to be drawn in their store due to the expansive selection of options offered, including the Starbucks Mocha.
It can be suggested that customers would rather opt for the trusts and familiarity offered by such stores, rather than those unknown to the public. The study suggested that customer reception towards the mocha is meaningful and consuming the drink can bring a sense of comfort and security. Starbucks can be known differently in other countries, and the reception may vary vastly.
Beverage Popularity
It may come to no surprise that the Starbucks Mocha remains one of the company’s most popularised and well known beverages. Customers often refer to the beverage as their ‘go-to’ beverage, and research conducted from the past 12 months indicates that customer preference towards the beverage is still adamant.
Customers continue to invest and remain loyal to the signature drink, as it is still deemed as a Coca Cola to coffee beverages. The intense flavour which characterises the beverage is still draw-dropping and an act of great allure to many customers worldwide.
Pressure From Competition
It could be thought that the pressure from other competitors could offer a challenge to the success of the Starbucks Mocha. Although the drink remains popular, market competition can still offer a challenge to their success. Chain store competitors such as Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero are still offering more viable options with their food and beverage menus.
These major competitors are still able to offer a lower-priced alternative for their consumers, and still remain to operate under the same procedures between the preparation and overall serving patterns used by major companies.
It appears that Starbucks still need to develop further and introduce other innovative ideas or concepts in order to stay ahead of their competitors. This could be achieved further by introducing the vegan or vegetarian customer to new milk alternatives like oat milk, or even sugar free options.
