Review: Starbucks' Refreshers Concentrates And Sweet Cream Enhancers Let You Enjoy The Chain Without Hitting The Drive-Through

Starbucks fans take note: You can stay in your jammies, skip the drive-through, and enjoy some of the brand's most iconic beverages in the comfort of your own home. Hot drinks, cold drinks, beverage enhancers, fruity juices, Starbucks has something for everyone. The popular coffee chain has been winning the hearts of java enthusiasts since 1971, and its success has grown exponentially ever since. In fact, the company reported sales of $37.2 billion in 2025. That's a lot of thirst quenching.

That said, Starbucks also realizes that not everyone wants to trek out for brewed sustenance, so this latest endeavor is designed keep devotees of its signature flavors content. Stalwarts of the brand will be pleased to learn that Starbucks just released six new beverages that can live in your refrigerator at home. Some were inspired by viral social media hype, and others are the chain's most popular, in-store offerings. 

Since I'm a fan of new, shiny things, I decided to sample the products for myself. I tasted three fruit juice-based offerings and three flavored creamers and, spoiler alert: They were all very good. I did prefer some beverages over others, but isn't seemingly endless customization why we choose Starbucks?

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

For this review, I sampled each product as suggested on the label. For the refresher concentrates, that involved filling a glass with ice, pouring over the concentrate, and then adding an equal amount of water (although I could have used any mixer I wanted). The label suggests combining 6 ounces of concentrate with 6 ounces of water or mixer of choice, but I used 4 ounces of each so I wouldn't overflow the glass. Since it's a 1:1 to ratio, it's easy to control how much you make.

For the sweet cream enhancers, I shook them as directed and then added a splash to a tall glass of iced coffee. My favorite at-home choice is Starbucks unsweetened blonde roast, so that's what I used. Note: The label asserts that the creamer was originally crafted for cold brew and, since iced coffee is my preference, it worked out. I added about 1 tablespoon of each creamer to about 6 ounces of coffee — the same as I would have every other day, with a different creamer.

I sipped and swigged and made notations for each product. I considered flavor, the listed ingredients, and nutrition. With all that information at hand, I crafted a detailed review of each item.

Starbucks is unveiling six new beverages designed to be used at home. There are two different categories — Refreshers Concentrates and Sweet Cream Enhancers. The Refreshers Concentrates are a trio of concentrated fruit juices that can be diluted with the beverage of your choice, whether that's water, vitamin water, tea, coconut milk, lemonade, and more. Two flavors are inspired by the café's Grand Refreshers and include Strawberry Açai and Mango Dragonfruit. One variety, Lime Watermelon, is an exclusive, at-home-only product. All three flavors deliver a caffeine boost thanks to the addition of green coffee, making them an excellent option for people looking for a non-coffee boost.

The second line of beverages, called Sweet Cream Enhancers, features cream-based beverages (creamers) designed to sweeten and enliven drinks, from coffee to tea, to homemade latte. Flavors include Vanilla Inspired Sweet Cream, Brown Sugar Inspired Sweet Cream, and White Chocolate Macadamia Inspired Sweet Cream. The ingredient list for each product is simple and straightforward, and boasts real cream, milk, sugar, and natural flavors. These cream enhancers are velvety smooth and meld beautifully into a variety of hot and cold beverages.

The Refreshers Concentrates come in 32-ounce bottles and have a suggested retail price of $13.99 each. Note that these are concentrates that are diluted at a 1:1 ratio. That means, the true price is $13.99 for 64 ounces of the ready-to-drink beverage, or about .22 cents per ounce. At my local Starbucks, a 16-ounce Strawberry Açai refresher is $4.95, or about .30 cents per ounce. So, not only are you saving a few pennies with the 32-ounce bottle, but you're also saving time, energy (and fuel) by staying at home. The concentrates deliver 90 to 100 calories and 21 to 24 grams of sugar per 12-ounce serving. Note: That's if you dilute them with water; if you choose lemonade or coconut water, the nutrition will be different.  

The sweet cream enhancers come in 24-ounce bottles and have a suggested retail price of $5.99. I don't know about you, but I find that reasonably priced, and in line with similar products in the category. Yes, non-dairy creamers may have a lower price point, but we're talking real cream, milk, and sugar here. Additionally, given that the cost of a Vente drink at the drive-thru can run around this price point, this feels like a decent deal.

Check your local retailer for availability — the refreshers will be in the coffee aisle (they have caffeine after all). The enhancers can be found in the creamer section. All products will be available through January, or until supplies last.

The Strawberry Açai Refreshers Concentrate was a burst of sunshine on my palate. The drink was sweet from the strawberries and earthy and tart from the açai berry flavor. I say berry "flavor" because the ingredient label includes grape juice, strawberry juice, green coffee extract, and natural flavor; there's no mention of açai berries. I don't have a problem with natural flavors, and I assume that's where the açai berry nuance comes from. The label also lists Rebaudioside A (Reb A), a natural, non-caloric sweetener from the stevia plant.

One serving of this variety (12 ounces of the diluted concentrate) contains 100 calories and 24 grams of sugar. In my opinion, 24 grams of sugar is a bit steep, but it's still less than a 12-ounce Coca-Cola with 39 grams of sugar. Plus, you can always dilute to the concentrate with more water to reduce the amount of sugar in each serving. In terms of caffeine, thanks to the addition of green coffee extract, each serving delivers 35 to 40 milligrams of caffeine. For reference, an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee has about 96 milligrams of caffeine.

The Mango Dragonfruit Refreshers Concentrate was my favorite of the three flavors. I found that surprising because I never order anything with mango. I don't despise the fruit, but I don't actively seek it out either. Perhaps it's the coupling of mango and dragonfruit that cuts mango's sweetness. I found the drink invigorating and fresh, with a nice balance of tart and sweet.

One 12-ounce serving of the diluted concentrate (assuming it's diluted with water) has 90 calories and 22 grams of sugar. Again, sugar is a little high, but the beverage isn't marketed as a low sugar, low calorie option. And since the ingredient list includes grape juice, sugar, and mango juice, it's not surprising sugar is elevated. I also noted natural flavor was added, but not dragonfruit juice. As was the case with the açai berries and watermelon, I'm OK with the presence of natural flavors if they don't taste artificial.

Like the other two varieties, this concentrate contains green coffee extract and delivers 35 to 40 milligrams of caffeine per serving. Those numbers are in line with tea, as an 8-ounce bottle of black tea has about 26 milligrams of caffeine, and brewed green tea has about 29 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce serving.

What I loved most about the Lime Watermelon Refreshers Concentrate was that it lived up to its name — it was refreshing. I enjoyed the distinct taste of watermelon followed by a hint of tangy lime. I imagined the drink might be overly sweet thanks the watermelon, but it wasn't. Flavors were nicely balanced.

One serving (6 ounces of concentrate with 6 ounces of water) has 90 calories and 21 grams of sugar. Considering the ingredient list starts with water, white grape juice, and sugar, it's not surprising that sugar content was a tad high. Clarified lime juice and natural flavor were also listed, and I assume the natural flavor was added to mimic watermelon since watermelon juice wasn't on the list. As stated, I'm fine with natural flavors and natural juices if the flavor is agreeable.

As is the case with the other two concentrates, this product contains green coffee extract, a supplement made with un-roasted coffee beans. Green coffee extract not only adds caffeine (35 to 40 milligrams per 12-ounce serving), but it's a natural antioxidant and can help with blood sugar regulation.

I didn't realize I was a white chocolate macadamia fan until I took a sip of Starbucks White Chocolate Macadamia Inspired Sweet Cream. It was downright delicious. I detected both the nutty goodness of macadamia nuts and the sweetness of smooth white chocolate, all in a base of velvety cream. It was a magical medley. 

The ingredient list is short and includes cream, sugar, nonfat milk, natural flavor, salt, and molasses. There's no mention of macadamia nuts or white chocolate, but the natural flavors mimic them perfectly.

One tablespoon of this creamer contains 35 calories, 1 gram of fat, 6 grams of sugar, and 5 milligrams of sodium. I only mention sodium because salt is listed with the ingredients, but it's clearly a negligible addition. I'll be honest, I was surprised by the calorie and fat content — this creamer tastes decidedly decadent, yet it's not. For comparison, 1 tablespoon of regular heavy cream has 60 calories and 6 grams of fat. I believe it's the addition of nonfat milk that slashes calories and fat from this product. Plus, the flavor is so robust, a little goes a long way (I barely needed the full tablespoon for 6 ounces of coffee). This was my favorite creamer of the trio, and my refrigerator will have a bottle stationed inside as long as the product is available.

Vanilla flavored creamer is my go-to at home, so I was excited to try Starbucks Vanilla Inspired Sweet Cream. I was not disappointed. The coffee enhancer was satiny smooth, delightfully creamy, and had cozy hints of vanilla. As was the case with the other two products, 1 tablespoon was sufficient to transform my 6 ounces of coffee into milky, flavorful bliss.

The ingredient list is straightforward and short and includes cream, sugar, nonfat milk, water, and natural flavor. I appreciated the pure and simple list of identifiable components. One tablespoon of the vanilla scented creamer has 35 calories, 1 gram of fat, 6 grams of sugar, and 5 milligrams of sodium. When compared to regular heavy cream, this product contains almost half the calories and a fraction of the fat.

As a die-hard vanilla creamer fan, I'm thankful I can add this product to my repertoire. I may be challenged by which one to choose in the morning (this or the white chocolate macadamia), but, in my opinion, you can never go wrong with the flavor of vanilla in your coffee or tea.

I was truly surprised when I took my first sip of Starbucks Brown Sugar Inspired Sweet Cream because I wasn't expecting such strong notes of brown sugar. The cream was rich and buttery, with toasty, caramel-like qualities. If you typically order your Starbucks beverages with some form of brown sugar, you will adore this product. I often lean into vanilla-spiked drinks, but this is a unique, comforting alternative.

Like its enhancer comrades, this variety has a short, recognizable ingredient list that includes cream, sugar, nonfat milk, water, salt, and natural flavor. That's it, just six ingredients (five if you don't count water as an ingredient). I love that there's nothing technically artificial in this product line, albeit, it's important to keep in mind that natural flavors can sometimes be tangential to. One tablespoon of this creamer contains 35 calories, 1 gram of fat, 6 grams of sugar, and 20 milligrams of sodium. Even though the sodium is higher than the other two varieties (by 15 milligrams), it's still a very low number.

I had a fun time sampling every one of these products. I thought the refreshers were energizing and each one delivered the flavor it promised. The lime watermelon tasted like limes and watermelon. The mango dragonfruit tasted like a marriage of mango and dragonfruit. And so on. I thought the sugar was a tad high, but as mentioned, these are not marketed as diet drinks. And, if sugar intake is a concern, you have the option to add more water when diluting the concentrate.

I was thoroughly enamored by all three sweet cream enhancers. Going into this review, I was certain vanilla would be my favorite. Now it's a tie between vanilla and white chocolate macadamia. And I didn't think I would like brown sugar flavored creamer at all, but I was mistaken.

I also admired the short, wholesome ingredient lists on all three creamers. There was nothing I didn't recognize, and all were ingredients I keep in my home anyway (cream, milk, sugar). Folks looking to enjoy Starbucks' flavors without leaving the house now have something to celebrate. Cheers to that.