Bananas over iced coffee

It’s not often we think of bananas when we want to cool off. Mango shakes, watermelon coolers — these are the menu favorites that take center stage come summer. But thanks to a certain enterprising coffee label, that might not be the case.

To celebrate summer, Starbucks recently launched Banana Java Chip Frappuccino Blended Coffee. "This summer will be hot and humid as always, and we want to offer our customers a new and refreshing beverage," says Starbucks Philippines head for marketing Ding Bustalino.

A combination of two former beverages on the coffee roster, namely the Banana Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee and Java Chip Frappuccino Blended Coffee, the new iced drink is made with real bananas, coffee made from Latin American beans, and banana sauce. Flecked with chocolate chips, the creamy frappuccino base consists of coffee, chocolate chips, milk and ice. Topped with whipped cream and brûlée sprinkles, it’s finished off with a swirl of chocolate.

How does this version compare to its parent beverages? "It’s certainly richer and more chocolate-y," says Bustalino. The summer-only drink also has low-calorie options for the carb-conscious. Frappuccino Light at 60 percent less calories and 40 percent less fat has all the flavor without the requisite gym time payback the original beverage requires. "You can also customize your drink," she adds. Soy or non-fat milk makes the drink potable for the lactose- or fat-intolerant among the coffee-drinking cognoscenti.

If drinks don’t make your day, consumers can cease their hand wringing immediately because Starbucks has other banana options on the menu. The banana chocolate chip muffin, the banana chocolate chip loaf and the banoffee pie all contain the summer’s signature ingredient in spades. "You can enjoy the same flavor profiles with these dishes," Bustalino says.

If that doesn’t do it, some Starbucks cafés have lined their entrances with baskets filled with the yellow fruit.

It’s enough to turn anyone bananas.