Starbucks back as superpremium.

Following the transition of licensing rights from Nestle/Dreyer's Unilever, the Starbucks ice cream brand is back as a superpremium line. As a Dreyer's partner brand, Starbucks had been a premium brand. "We want consumers to enjoy the Starbucks Experience on their terms--in our stores, on the go or at home, through a variety of food and beverage offerings," said John Culver, president, Starbucks Global Consumer Products, Starbucks Foodservice and Seattle's Best Coffee.

"We're pleased to introduce the new Starbucks ice cream line in collaboration with a partner that shares our passion for innovation and our core values." John LeBoutiller, Unilever SVP of Foods USA, noted, "We are proud to add Starbucks ice cream to our portfolio of popular ice cream brands.

This product takes one of life's most enduring pleasures--eating ice cream--and marries it with one of consumers' favorite brands to create an unparalleled experience."

The new version was created by food developers from both Starbucks and Unilever's several ice cream brands, including Ben & Jerry's, Breyers, and Good Humor. It uses Starbucks beverage flavors that were selected for the line based on their popularity among consumers and their ability to complement the richness of super-premium ice cream. The line's packaging design mirrors that of the iconic Starbucks cup, which is ...