Starbucks launches pork-flavored coffee in China

About the unique product: Released to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, the Abundant Year Savory Latte reportedly comes in a glass of espresso with steamed milk topped with Dongpo pork sauce with a garnish of skewered dried pork to complete the drink. The drink, reportedly available in 25 Starbucks outlets across China, retails for 68 yuan ($9).

The coffee chain reportedly held a survey in which it asked its customers what they wanted to be added as its next limited drink, which included Dongpo pork as one of the choices.

The special latte is part of Starbucks China’s Chinese New Year menu, which also includes “Red Date Rice Flavor Macchiato,” “Fortune Almond Macchiato” and “Black Sesame Latte.”

About Dongpo pork: Named after Song Dynasty (960-1279) poet, essayist, civil servant and gourmand Su Dongpo, Dongpo pork combines pork belly cubes braised in soy sauce with ginger, scallions and other aromatics that originated in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

Reactions: One customer who tried the drink told Jiupai News the taste was “sweet and salty,” noting that the pork’s flavor was “not obvious.” They added that besides the pork placed on top of the glass, there were also bacon bits in the drink.

Several Weibo users commenting under the post said the new drink was “delicious,” with one proclaiming that it was “worth a try,” while another user wrote they had been waiting for the drink to come out and hoped that “there won’t be a price increase.”