Starbucks Pitches a Trenta

By Ian Froeb Tue., Jan. 18 2011 at 9:00 AM

Categories: Java Enabled

Starbucks

A new size and a new logo (above) are among the changes at Starbucks.

Once upon a time, there were only two drink sizes at Starbucks: the eight-ounce short and the twelve-ounce tall. Now, of course, tall is the de facto small -- short cups are still around, though Starbucks rarely (if ever) promotes them -- followed by grande (sixteen ounces) and venti (twenty ounces hot, twenty-four ounces iced).

Soon, however, Starbucks customers will have yet another option. Debuting this month, and available nationwide by early May, will be the trenta. The trenta measures 31 ounces, which, though nowhere near as impressive as the jugs o' fountain soda available at most convenient stores, is a whole lot of coffee.

The trenta is for iced coffee, iced tea and iced tea-lemonade drinks only. For those of you dreaming of 31 ounces of cold, sweet iced caramel macchiato, I'm unclear whether "iced coffee" drinks are synonymous with "iced espresso" drinks. I have a call into Starbucks corporate office to find out.

However, this passage from the Reuters article linked above suggests that iced espresso drinks aren't included:

The world's biggest coffee chain said unsweetened drinks in the new size will have fewer than 90 calories and that sweetened versions will have less than 230 calories.

An iced venti caramel macchiato already has 330 calories, according to the nutrition guide on the Starbucks website, which would seem to disqualify a trenta-sized version from coming in under 230 calories.