Starbucks unveils 3 holiday pastries, reusable plastic holiday cup

Starbucks is serving up three new pastries this holiday season as well as a couple of mysterious drinks.

The late-autumn lineup features the Pistachio Honey Croissant, Sugarplum Cheese Danish and Chocolate Swirl Brioche, the company said Thursday. They join returning favorite the Cranberry Bliss Bar.

Information about the new seasonal drinks hasn’t been released, but fans are also able to buy six classic holiday beverages in hot, iced and blended forms, starting on Friday. They are Peppermint Mocha, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Gingerbread Latte and Egg Nog Latte.

For the first time, Starbucks has a plastic holiday cup, the Seattle-based coffee chain said. Customers who purchase a holiday drink on Friday get the limited-edition reusable cup free, and if they use it between Saturday and Jan. 7 to buy a 16-ounce holiday beverage after 2 p.m., they save 50 cents on their order.

“It gives us a chance to remind everyone how important we think it is to have a sustainable position around our goods,” Starbucks chief operating officer Rosalind Brewer said.

In July, the company said it planned to eliminate plastic straws from its stores globally by 2020. Four months earlier, the company announced a $10 million challenge to design a compostable coffee cup.

This holiday season, Starbucks also has unveiled four new disposable holiday cups. All are red, green and white and the company calls them retro.

“We took this time to really listen to the customers in terms of what they love about the holiday season overall and what they love about Starbucks,” Brewer said.

Though the company has reduced its number of limited-time drinks à la the Unicorn Frappuccino, it brought back its iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte in time for the fall.

“Coming out with new offerings helps reinvigorate sales and heightens brand awareness,” S&P Global analyst Andy Sookram said. “This is an initiative by a restaurant operator to create excitement around their brand.”

Read more at USAToday.com.