Wednesday, 17 February 2010

• Coffee Bean's New Ice Blended Concoctions

  
  

  
  

  
  Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf launched two new products today, the Banana Chocolate Ice Blended and the Banana Caramel Ice Blended. Both are non-coffee based, so those who shun the taste of these Godly-beans can glorify at these new fruit-based flavors.
  
  The tropical flavor of banana is accentuated with either chocolate or caramel flavor.
  
  I love the caramel flavor as compared to the chocolate one because the taste of banana is just too strong and the chocolate is really overpowered. And when I say overpowered, I mean OVERPOWERED.
  
  The Banana Chocolate Ice Blended has only a hint of chocolate in the drink, yet, its there, in fairness. The chocolate flavor would come in the last few sips. Maybe three quarters prior to finishing your drink. I may just be biased with the flavor being a puritan when it comes to my chocolates (I love it bitter and dark). But mind you, banana is such a strong flavor in itself.
  
  The caramel flavor completely complemented the banana. The taste is so familiar, cozy, and every child-at-heart would love it. I would suggest vanilla with the banana. I just love vanilla. Or how about licorice? I think I'm taking this overboard.
  
  Anyway, from what I gathered, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf uses fresh ingredients as much as they can, so if they are using fresh bananas here, this drink would be loaded with potassium and Vitamin C. Yehey for the health buffs out there! Just go without the whipped cream and maybe less on the sugar.
  
  Mind you, Coffee Bean's Ice Blended concoctions are just heavenly. Its a smoothie taken to the next level. The ice is blended in such a way that you would not know that its there. It's an ice cream drink. I have to give it to them.
  
  It would not be a surprise that they are so good at their Ice Blended drinks because apparently they pioneered ice blended coffees (Frappucino for Starbucks and Froccino for Bo's Coffee) back in the 1980's.
  
  The story goes that one of their baristas, Diane Martell who is now the director for training and development, decided to experiment with coffee and ice in such a way that the coffee would not be diluted when the ice melts. Obviously they became successful at it, making it one of the coffee shop's hits.
  
  A friend, whom I met at the coffee shop this morning, told me that she goes only to Coffee Beans because she has stopped drinking coffee-based drinks, and apparently only Coffee Bean is able to give her the taste that her palates can agree with.
  
  Why am I not surprised?
  
  Except for the price, I really do love Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. The ambiance is great and the baristas are so friendly.
  
  Plus, my boss's son owns the franchise in Cebu. He gave me a Swirl Card a few months back, so thanks Allen (link).
  
  
  

  
  
  

  The card entitles the bearer free internet access at the coffee shop, given you purchase something, of course. And it also functions as a cash card, which you can use in any Coffee Bean outlet in the Philippines.  You can reload it with cash or can opt to just accumulate your points until you get to use it to buy any of the items on their menu.
  

  
  Recently they introduced limited edition cards for just P195. If the points I accumulated would be carried over to that card, I think I'll get one.  Why am I such sucker for these marketing gimmicks? Beats me, I just enjoy it.
  
  How about you?  Do you also fall for these kind of marketing gimmicks especially when it comes to food?
  

  • 8:15 PM
  • 3986 Views
  • 24 eProps
  • 10 Comments