Ever wanted to drink a Pokémon? Well, now you can! Starbucks is teaming with The Pokémon Company and launching its first wave of merchandise and themed drinks just in time for fall.
The world’s largest coffee company announced the partnership on social media (thanks Famitsu), which will see daintily-designed Pokémon-themed tumblers come to Starbucks branches across Japan. Weirdly, the Pokémon in the prints appear to have no eyes… so it might be an early Halloween play on the part of Starbucks.
A Pikachu-inspired Honey Cream Latte will also be available to order, matching the electric mouse’s color palette. The latte comes topped with honey-accented whipped cream and red heart-shaped toppings to represent Pikachu’s iconic charged-up cheeks. Whether Pikachu actually tastes like caramel, honey and coffee is something science is yet to explore.
The flavor was supposedly selected after a “barista battle”, where 6 barista judges (think the Elite 4 plus 2) handpicked the best entry from over 700 drink recipes created by Starbucks baristas. Also up for grabs are limited edition Starbucks cards which feature custom “Coffee Adventure” artwork of Pikachu and baristas frolicking together.
The tumblers are sure to be a big hit with locals and travelers, with many opting to pick up Starbucks merchandise from the different countries they visit. They are 2-way, can be used for hot or iced drinks, and will be available alongside the Pikachu Honey Cream Latte from September 30. Sales end on October 7. No word on whether this collaboration will extend to Europe or North America, but Pokemon lovers can only hope.
Like most Pokémon-themed goods, stock is expected to vanish pretty quickly—a McDonald’s collaboration in 2025 featuring Pokémon cards resulted in the company taking the unprecedented step of restricting sales of its Happy Meals. Scalpers queued outside restaurants for hours, ordering countless Happy Meals to get the trading card before tossing their fries and nuggets directly in the bin.
McDonald’s Japan apologized to its customers for the pandemonium that overtook many of its stores, with overflowing trash cans and discarded Happy Meal boxes a common sight across major cities like Tokyo. The collaboration returned in 2026, albeit without trading cards, to avoid the massive food waste and keep Happy Meals in the hands of their intended audience—kids. Previous Happy Meal collabs outside of Japan went off without a hitch, but that was before people had jobs selling Pokémon cards.
McDonald’s Japan apologized to its customers for the pandemonium that overtook many of its stores, with overflowing trash cans and discarded Happy Meal boxes a common sight.
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