Frappuccino confusion confounds consumers

Frappuccino Mocha

The temporary halt to sales of “Frappuccino Mocha,” a bottled Starbucks coffee, is continuing to arouse consumer skepticism due to an inadequate response from the company.
Frappuccino Mocha is the product of a collaboration between Dongsuh Food Co. and Starbucks and is not sold in Starbucks coffee shops.
In early June Dongsuh, which began producing Frappuccino last August, discovered that lumps of milk were forming in some of the products, which are sold in retail outlets. After receiving numerous complaints, the company stopped sales of the drink early last month.
“After 20 days of investigation, we found out that some of the bottle lids were ajar due to mechanical malfunctions. We resumed our sales and supply after we managed the problem,” the company announced when it restarted sales in late July.
However, some customers have complained that the company did not fully explain the packaging defects, the company said.
Ahn Kyung-ho, an official of Dongsuh Food, said, “We decided not to speak to the public as we thought the matter was temporary, and there was no reason other than that.”

By Lim Mi-jin JoongAng Ilbo [ebusiness@joongang.co.kr]