Starbucks customers in China must have been wide-eyed reading the menu as the chain now offers a new flavor of braised pork latte: a combination that's far from winning over the majority.
“I would allow both [porc et café] “To exist in my stomach at the same time, but not in my mouth at the same time,” one user joked in response to the channel's announcement, which was shared on Chinese social network Weibo, CNN reported on Tuesday.
To mark the Lunar New Year, which took place on Feb. 10, the company added a café latte to its menu that consisted of Dongpo braised pork sauce, espresso and steamed milk, according to the Starbucks delivery service's application.
To top it off, the drink was also garnished with a piece of pork belly meat, as seen in the pictures shared on X.
“Eating meat means prosperity for the coming year,” Shanghai roaster Starbucks Reserve reportedly wrote on Weibo a few days before the start of the Lunar New Year, one of the biggest festivals in Asia that is often topped with braised pork, according to American media.
In the comments on the ad, which has been viewed more than 476,000 times, some customers expressed interest while others were more skeptical about the original flavor, which was sold at a price of 68 yuan, or nearly $13.
To mark the celebration, the company is also reportedly offering other holiday flavors, including a jujube macchiato said to be inspired by New Year's rice cakes, and an almond tofu macchiato, according to CNN.