Meanwhile, Starbucks is looking to expand its ready-to-drink (RTD) offerings in Asia. In Japan, Suntory Ltd. will manufacture and distribute chilled RTD coffee products, while President Starbucks Coffee Taiwan Ltd. will do likewise for the Taiwanese market.
In the U.S., 18 new RTD iced coffees have hit the market through May of this year, according to the Global New Products Database (Mintel, Chicago), while 180 new coffees have been introduced, many bearing notably ethnic influences.