Today's Dessert and Cafe Menu Trends — 2026-05-13

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Highlights of Today's New Menu

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Compose Coffee — 'All Day Com' Series (including Vanilla Cream Latte)

• Category: Beverage
• Release Date/Duration: Released late April 2026, currently available.
• Key Features: The 'All Day Com' series, featuring the 'Vanilla Cream Latte,' sold over 350,000 cups within just one week of release. The brand also boosted customer experience by launching sets combined with character merchandise.
• Why it matters: It is emerging as a benchmarking case in the industry, showing how low-cost coffee franchises are moving beyond simple drink sales to capture loyal customers through merchandise-based marketing.

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Franchise Cup Bingsu — Summer Season Competition Heats Up

• Category: Dessert (Seasonal)
• Release Date/Duration: Confirmed re-release in early May 2026 (based on reports from a week ago).
• Key Features: The return of the cup bingsu, which "sold 1.2 million units last year alone," has ignited early summer competition among coffee franchises. Reports highlight single-person households and value-conscious consumers as the primary target.
• Why it matters: The fact that franchises are releasing bingsu menus earlier than in previous years, ahead of expected heatwaves, reflects a combination of "gasimbi" (satisfaction for the price) consumption trends and a strategy to defend summer unit prices.

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Starbucks (Global) — Dubai Chocolate Matcha & Pistachio Line

• Category: Beverage
• Release Date/Duration: Released as a global winter menu on January 6, 2026, with trends continuing through April-May 2026.
• Key Features: Released Iced Dubai Chocolate Matcha, Iced Dubai Chocolate Mocha, and a beverage combining matcha + pistachio sauce + chocolate cream cold foam. The pairing of pistachio and matcha is currently driving global trends.
• Why it matters: By turning the viral "Dubai chocolate" trend into a menu item, they have created a structure where social media interest leads directly to sales. This is highly likely to influence the menu lineup at Starbucks Korea as well.

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Franchise Trends

• Compose Coffee: The 'All Day Com' series hit 350,000 sales in a week. They are currently strengthening customer experience marketing by releasing character merchandise bundle sets beyond simple beverage sales.

• Coffee Franchises (Cup Bingsu Competition): With heatwaves expected, the industry is aggressively competing for early summer market share with cup bingsu aimed at single-person households and value-conscious consumers, launching them earlier than in previous years.

• Starbucks Korea: Following the global headquarters' launch of the Dubai chocolate, matcha, and pistachio lines, industry interest is focused on whether these will be reflected in domestic seasonal menus. Based on information from Namuwiki, Starbucks Korea tends to localize global trend menus.

• Mega MGC Coffee & Ediya: Both are large, low-cost franchises locked in intense competition, where new menu release cycles and the use of merchandise marketing serve as key variables.

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Convenience Store & Bakery New Products

Note: Official announcements regarding new releases from convenience store PB desserts and bakery franchises after May 11, 2026, were not directly confirmed within this survey period. Below is the most recent information confirmed.

• Paris Baguette — 'Cafe de Dessert' Specialty Store: Mentions in the Food & Beverage News (식품음료신문) suggest the opening of a store specializing in Paris-style desserts, though details on the exact launch date require further verification.

• Burger King — 'King Float' (Dr. Pepper Zero + Milk Sundae): Released a new dessert beverage combining Dr. Pepper Zero with a milk sundae. It targets the Gen Z and Alpha generations as well as Dr. Pepper enthusiasts, and the brand operated a 'Dr. Pepper Club' pop-up at the Seogyo-dong intersection location. (Recorded release in June 2025, but currently being spotlighted again).

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Today's Trend Keywords

1. Dubai Chocolate: A chocolate trend originating from Dubai that combines pistachio cream and kataifi (kunafa) dough, becoming a global viral sensation in 2025-2026. After Starbucks officially added the 'Iced Dubai Chocolate Matcha' and 'Iced Dubai Chocolate Mocha' to their menu in January 2026, it entered the mainstream. Independent cafes in the U.S. and Korea are still rushing to add it to their menus as of April-May 2026.

2. Matcha × Pistachio Pairing: Following the official launch of beverages combining matcha and pistachio sauce at Starbucks globally, this duo is driving cafe trends in the first half of 2026. In Korea, the combination of matcha desserts and pistachio cream is emerging as a key keyword for the bakery and cafe industry.

3. Cup Bingsu Competition: Domestic coffee franchises are starting the summer season early, targeting single-person households and value-conscious shoppers to get a head start on summer sales. Marketing that highlights concrete figures like "1.2 million sold" is being used to build consumer anticipation.

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Global Comparison

The global cafe and dessert market in the first half of 2026 is dominated by a trend of "premium exotic ingredients" centered around Dubai chocolate, matcha, and pistachio. The official menu launch by Starbucks in January 2026 acted as a catalyst for independent cafes in the U.S. and Europe. While the Korean market shows high alignment with these global trends—given the ongoing Dubai chocolate and matcha fever since 2025—the focus on low-cost, large-capacity cup bingsu competition remains a unique local strategy. The strength of low-cost franchises like Compose Coffee and Mega MGC Coffee specifically reflects the unique characteristics of the Korean market.

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Upcoming Events to Watch

Note: Official event schedules confirmed after May 11, 2026, were not sufficiently collected in this survey. The following information is based on recent reports.

• KIBA 2026 (Korea International Bakery Fair): An exhibition covering the entire K-bakery industry, including frozen dough, smart equipment, and premium ingredients. According to reports in the Food & Beverage News, it is a major industry event; exact dates should be checked on the official website.

• Seoul Coffee Expo & Korea International Bakery Fair (in conjunction with KIBA 2026): Participation confirmed for handmade dessert brand 'Juny Cookie' and premium dessert brand 'Corner Cake Studio.' Held at COEX.

• Compose Coffee Character Goods Set Event: As the new menu is a hit and character merchandise bundle sets are currently being sold, it is worth keeping an eye on whether these promotions will be expanded.

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Action Items for Readers

• Menu Planners: The Dubai chocolate, matcha, and pistachio trio is a globally proven trend. Take the Starbucks menu structure (matcha base + pistachio sauce + chocolate cream cold foam) as a reference to analyze domestic ingredient sourcing and cost ratios before beginning development on seasonal specialty menus. As Dubai chocolate is already spreading rapidly among independent cafes, the window of opportunity for early adoption is narrowing.

• Cafe Operators: Try to get a jump start on the competition by teasing your summer cup bingsu or ice-based menus on social media before the major franchises do. As seen in the Compose Coffee example, combining these with merchandise or special packaging is effective for boosting repeat visits. Consider pre-ordering raw materials for matcha lattes and pistachio cream-based drinks early to minimize the risk of stockouts.