Starbucks Japan launches lighter coffee drinks for younger consumers

The drinks followed findings that 46% of university students had never drunk black coffee.

Starbucks Coffee Japan will launch two new coffee beverages—Clear Coffee and Citrus Clear Coffee—on 31 July 2026, as part of its 30th anniversary in Japan.

The drinks were developed with input from young consumers who said they were interested in coffee but were discouraged by its bitterness, lingering aftertaste, or uncertainty about choosing a coffee drink.

Starbucks said the products are intended to offer a milder, more approachable option for first-time or occasional coffee drinkers.

Clear Coffee is described as having a lighter body with reduced bitterness whilst retaining a coffee aroma along with a subtle sweetness.

Citrus Clear Coffee combines coffee with citrus pulp, giving it a fruit-forward flavour and a lighter, more refreshing profile designed for warmer weather.

Ahead of the nationwide launch, the beverages will be available in a limited pre-sale at the Starbucks Coffee Shibuya Cocoti store from 5 p.m. (tentative) on 29 July 2026.

The advance sale will be limited to in-store purchases and will not be offered through Mobile Order & Pay or delivery services.

The new products stem from research conducted by Starbucks amongst university students, which found that about 46% had never consumed black coffee.

Amongst those respondents, the most common reason was that they expected it to be bitter, cited by about 44%.

To develop the drinks, Starbucks collaborated with youth marketing group SHIBUYA109 lab., holding workshops with eight young people and taste-testing sessions with four participants.

Feedback from those sessions was incorporated into the final products.