Starbucks Japan Teams With Suntory on Canned Black Coffee

If you’ve been in a Japanese convenience store recently, you might’ve spotted a new canned coffee with a familiar green logo. But this isn’t just another generic brand trying to ride on Starbucks’ name—it’s a legitimate collaboration between Starbucks Japan and local beverage giant Suntory.

In short: Starbucks Japan and Suntory have released a canned black coffee sold exclusively in Japanese convenience stores. The product uses high-end aluminum bottles to preserve flavor, and it’s a response to the rising demand for ready-to-drink black coffee in non-café settings.

What’s New: A Starbucks x Suntory Canned Black Coffee

Walk into a Japanese convenience store today and you could find a can labeled simply “Starbucks Black Coffee.” This is a new product developed jointly by Starbucks Japan and Suntory. While Starbucks has offered ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages in Japan for ten years, this is the first time it has partnered with Suntory to bring a canned black coffee to market.

Why Now? Black Coffee Is Booming in Japan

According to Stephanie Choi, who leads global ready-to-drink beverages at Starbucks, black coffee sales in Japan have surged recently. Consumers are drinking more black coffee outside of cafés—in offices, on commutes, and at home. This trend prompted Starbucks to develop a product tailored specifically for the Japanese market, where demand for convenient, high-quality black coffee is growing fast.

How It’s Made: Premium Packaging for Freshness

To ensure the canned coffee delivers a high-quality experience, Starbucks and Suntory opted for premium aluminum bottles. These aren’t your average cans—they’re designed to preserve the coffee’s freshness and flavor profile, which is critical for a straight black coffee meant to stand on its own without milk or sugar.

Starbucks’ Strategy: Local Partnerships for Broader Reach

This isn’t the first time Starbucks has worked with a local partner in Asia. In March of this year, Starbucks China teamed up with Master Kong (Convenient Food Company, known internationally as Ting Hsin or Master Kong) to distribute bottled Frappuccino-style drinks. Under that deal, Starbucks handled product development and branding, while Master Kong managed production and distribution. Similarly, the Suntory collaboration allows Starbucks Japan to tap into local expertise and infrastructure while expanding its presence beyond traditional coffee shop channels.

What Consumers Should Know

The canned Starbucks black coffee is currently a Japan-exclusive product. It reflects a broader trend in which global coffee brands are customizing products for local markets and relying on regional partners to scale distribution. For consumers, this raises questions about consistency and quality control—but also opens access to premium coffee options in everyday retail environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the new Starbucks canned coffee in Japan?

The new product is a canned black coffee created through a partnership between Starbucks Japan and Suntory. It is sold exclusively in Japanese convenience stores and features a premium aluminum bottle designed to maintain flavor quality.

Is this the first time Starbucks has made canned coffee in Japan?

No—Starbucks has offered ready-to-drink (RTD) canned beverages in Japan for ten years. However, this is the first time it has collaborated with Suntory specifically on a canned black coffee product.

Why did Starbucks choose to work with Suntory?

Starbucks wanted to tap into Suntory’s local expertise and distribution network to bring a high-quality black coffee option to Japanese convenience stores. The move supports Starbucks’ strategy of using local partners to expand reach beyond cafés.

What kind of packaging does the canned coffee use?

The coffee is packaged in premium aluminum bottles, which help preserve the flavor and freshness of the black coffee. This choice of packaging is especially important for a product meant to be consumed without additives.

Is the canned coffee available outside Japan?

No, the canned black coffee is currently a Japan-exclusive product. There is no indication that it will be released in other markets at this time.

Why is black coffee becoming more popular in Japan?

According to Starbucks, black coffee consumption is rising in Japan as more people drink it outside cafés—in workplaces, during commutes, and at home. This trend has driven demand for convenient, high-quality black coffee options like the new canned product.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Black Coffee

For fans of black coffee, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera—bright with citrus and floral notes—or their PWN Golden Mandheling, known for its heavy body and herbal sweetness. Both roast profiles shine when brewed black and complement the clean, straightforward style of canned or filtered black coffee. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.