Starbucks Celebrates 20 Years With A Dazzling Collection Of Merchandise

Can you imagine what life was without a Starbucks at every corner? For those old enough to remember, the first Starbucks store opened in 6750 Ayala on December 4, 1997. While there were already a smattering of other coffee shops serving espresso-based drinks in the city, the advent of Starbucks transformed the coffee scene for good, getting us hooked on a daily dose of macchiato, cappuccino, frappuccino. We soon memorized the lingo—distinguishing a grande from a venti, knowing how to ask for an extra shot of syrup—and fastidiously collected stickers during the holiday season to get that much-coveted Starbucks planner.

The Philippines was only Starbucks’ third market outside of North America, and since then, it has grown from that lone shop in Makati to hundreds of branches not just in Metro Manila but across the archipelago.

To commemorate its 20^th anniversary in the Philippines, last December 1, Starbucks launched its special collection of mugs and tumblers inspired by Philippine local textile design at Starbucks 6750 Ayala Avenue where the Seattle brand first opened its doors. Even before the items became officially available to the public at 2PM, a line already formed outside the store for those Starbucks fans eyeing the limited-edition merchandise.

The most precious item in the collection has to be Starbucks’ gorgeous 20^th anniversary mug made with full white gold and adorned with 200 white and emerald Swarovski crystals set in traditional textile patterns. Priced at P6,295 and with only 500 pieces available, the mug includes a special-edition numbered certificate and gift box stamped with the Starbucks wordmark.

The 20^th anniversary mug also comes in pretty 12-oz double-wall ceramic versions, available in silver and white, with press-in white gold covers, and with only 1,500 pieces of each mug available for P4,295. More affordable is the 16-oz opaque white acrylic tumbler featuring the 20^th anniversary weave pattern in silver foil at P895. Finally, Starbucks released its 6750 Ayala Mug, commemorating its first store in the Philippines. The matte black ceramic mugs are designed with the gold siren decal, plus artwork with special hand-painted finishes, only available at the 6750 branch for P1,295.

It’s not an anniversary celebration if there’s no coffee. So last December 4, Starbucks introduced Hacienda Alsacia whole bean packaged coffee, grown from a Starbucks working coffee farm in Costa Rica, and served only in the Starbucks Seattle Roastery and Tasting Room for a limited time.

For Starbucks aficionados, these collector’s items are a beautiful way to celebrate our 20-year relationship with a global coffee giant that has become a meaningful—and caffeinated—part of our daily lives.