Starbucks' latest drink launch is a bet on the future of fast food beverages

• Starbucks is expanding its Refresher line, a $2 billion platform, to attract afternoon customers.
• New blended Refreshers capitalize on social media trends and demand from younger consumers.
• Gen Z and millennials see cold drinks as expressive and social, fueling demand across the industry.

With blended Refreshers arriving this summer — and additional innovations already in the pipeline — Starbucks is signaling that its future growth won’t come solely from coffee.