Starbucks is giving fans another chance to score a viral bear cup this holiday season.
After the initial release of the $29.99 glass cold cup sent fans into a frenzy when they immediately sold out and were then being resold for triple the price on sites like eBay, the “Bearistas,” as they’re known, have been made available as instant prizes in this year’s Starbucks For Life game.
Starbucks confirmed to The Independent that about 600 Bearista cups will be up for grabs each day through January 4.
This year’s edition of the annual game is called “Merrython,” and offers fans the chance to win prizes and be entered for a chance to win Starbucks for life when they choose a character and compete in virtual journeys across four cities: Seattle, Milan, Tokyo and New York City.
Customers can access the game through the Starbucks website or app for a chance to win the bear cups as well as other prizes, which include free food and beverages, bonus stars, Starbucks gift cards, and the chance to win free Starbucks for a year.
The coffee chain posted a cryptic message Sunday to Instagram teasing another opportunity to purchase the viral cups.
“Your chance is in the Starbucks app. Tomorrow, 12/8,” read the caption as an accompanying video played, revealing a bear cup behind a row of Starbucks holiday cups.
Fans were eagerly awaiting Monday’s announcement after many tried unsuccessfully to score one of the Bearistas last month.
Launched alongside the return of Starbucks’ holiday menu, the 20-ounce cup is made for cold drinks — and crafted in the shape of an adorable bear, complete with black eyes and a nose on the front. A knitted green hat featuring the Starbucks logo tops the bear, and a matching green-and-white straw completes the festive look.
The drinkware also comes with a knitted green hat, featuring the Starbucks logo, on the bear and a matching green and white straw.
Upon launching, the bear cups were only available in stores, prompting customers to line up hours in advance to try to score one, but many were left disappointed. Some fans claimed only one or two cups were being sold in each store.
“Imagine waiting an hour and a half in line before a Starbucks opens to purchase one of the new glass bearista cups, only to find out they are sold before they unlock the door,” one customer wrote on X while another echoed: “Just feeling so disappointed with @Starbucks and their employees — they only left one Bearista bear cup out for sale and took the rest of them to the back.”
The backlash was so loud that Starbucks was forced to issue an apology.
“The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations and despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast,” a spokesperson for Starbucks said in a statement to The Independent.
“We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused.”
The company also told customers that “more exciting merchandise [is] coming this holiday season.”
