Starbucks are bringing back viral ‘Bearista’ cups after fury over previous release
Starbucks fans will be pleased to hear that the viral 'Bearista' cups are making a comeback.
The highly-anticipated return follows last year's chaotic launch which left customers furious after the adorable cup sold out within hours.
If you failed to get your hands on one of the bear-shaped cups the first time around, you might want to pay attention.
The coffee giant has officially announced the return of its much-loved Bearista collection, but there's a rather exciting twist this time around.
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On Monday (9 November), Starbucks revealed that it would be launching its biggest Bearista drop yet, introducing a collection of limited-edition glass cold cups featuring five festive bear characters.
Naturally, there's a rare design for collectors to get their hands on, too.
Dubbed the 'Bearista Glass Cold Cup – Surprise Box Edition', it will select Starbucks shops globally from Tuesday (10 November), with each mystery box containing one of five different characters.
The festive line-up includes Reiny, a reindeer bear who loves watching classic Christmas films, Aspen, an adventurous skiing bear, and Joy, an ice-skating bear with a rather impressive snow globe collection.
There's also Bunny, a snow-loving character who has a particularly clever feature, as the bear changes colour when filled with cold beverages.
However, the one everyone will be hoping to find is Goldie, a golden Bearista described by Starbucks as the rarest character in the collection.
One thing's for sure, these are certain to be hugely popular again.
Each cup also comes with its own personality card, detailing the character's personality, favourite holiday traditions and signature Starbucks drink order.
The cups are made from hand-blown glass and will retail for $39.95 (around £30), although Starbucks says they will only be available while stocks last.
Customers will be limited to purchasing two surprise boxes in coffeehouses, while Starbucks Rewards Reserve members will get access to a limited quantity through the Starbucks Shop from 1pm ET on Monday (9 November), with purchases restricted to one per member.
If you're wondering why Starbucks is making such a big deal about the return of its bear-shaped drinkware, it all goes back to last year's rather dramatic launch.
Back in November 2025, the original Bearista Cold Cup took social media by storm thanks to its adorable bear-shaped design and green beanie-style lid.
Unfortunately, the excitement quickly turned into frustration when the cups sold out within hours of hitting stores.
Customers took to Reddit to share their disappointment, with some claiming they had queued outside coffeehouses only to discover that the coveted cups were already gone.
One customer alleged: "I waited an hour before open to get the Bearista cup."
"We witnessed an employee pulling both off the shelf and buying them two minutes before store open, right in front of us waiting outside," they alleged furiously.
Others questioned how Starbucks had managed stock levels, with some accusing employees of getting first pick of the merchandise.
The backlash became so widespread that Starbucks was forced to issue an apology, admitting that demand had been higher than expected.
"The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations," a spokesperson said at the time.
The representative added: "We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologise for the disappointment this may have caused."
Now, it seems Starbucks is hoping to recreate the excitement while giving collectors even more designs to chase.
It seems that's not the only good news for anyone who missed out on the original version.
In a separate announcement last month, Starbucks confirmed that the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup, complete with its signature green hat, will also be returning to select coffeehouses on 1 December.
Both releases will be available in limited quantities, so fans may want to keep an eye on their local stores.
There is one thing worth noting, however: Starbucks has not yet confirmed specific UK stockists or UK pricing for the new collection, so British fans may have to wait for further details before planning their next coffee run.
Bearista fever is far from over.
Topics: Starbucks, Food and Drink, UK News
Jen Thomas
