Two pop-culture icons born in the 1970s are linking arms for the holidays. Starting November 6, Starbucks stores across the U.S. and Canada will stock a limited Hello Kitty merchandise line—six pieces that turn the coffee chain’s green-and-white palette into something distinctly kawaii.
The collection pairs Starbucks’ coffee culture with Sanrio’s four-decade-old mascot, bringing mugs, tumblers, and a boxed plush into one red-themed holiday set. Prices range from about $25 to $35. Each piece carries the slogan “Together in Fun Forever.”
A 16-ounce ceramic mug topped with a red silicone bow and a 26-ounce stainless-steel cold cup headline the release. There’s also a 20-ounce water bottle, a 12-ounce tumbler, and an acrylic cold cup dotted with coffee beans and Hello Kitty’s teddy bear, Tiny Chum. The boxed plush, dressed in a Starbucks apron, is likely to sell out first.
Executives on both sides frame the partnership as a meeting of shared nostalgia. Starbucks opened in 1971; Hello Kitty debuted three years later. “Both were born in the ’70s and both stand for joy,” said Kap Pitarys, the company’s U.S. merchandise director. Sanrio’s marketing head, Jill Koch, called the character’s return to store shelves “a celebration of friendship, kindness, and inclusivity.”
The tie-in fits Starbucks’ broader holiday push, which leans heavily on collectable drinkware and gift cards. The Hello Kitty cards will be available in physical, digital, and die-cut shapes, starting at $5.
For fans who still remember carrying Hello Kitty lunchboxes to school—or for anyone who just wants their latte to match their plush—the collaboration offers a quick hit of cheerful nostalgia before it inevitably sells out.