Starbucks Korea on Wednesday unveiled its mobile coffee trailer, “S:Buck-Cha,” to extend its store experience beyond towns and cities to rural areas, disaster sites and even frontline units.
The trailer made its debut at Yeouido Hangang Park’s Event Plaza during the Seoul Spring Festival marking Earth Day. From 1-3 p.m., the company offered free iced coffee to 500 customers on a first-come, first-served basis, encouraging the use of personal tumblers to promote eco-friendly habits.
Developed over six months, the trailer is designed to serve areas with limited access to Starbucks stores, including disaster sites and underserved communities.
The S:Buck-Cha features a compact cabin design in the brand’s signature green and white, and is equipped with an espresso machine and refrigeration facilities to maintain the same quality customers get from in-store beverages.
The name was selected through an internal contest with a 300-to-1 competition. It combines “Starbucks Car” with the Korean word “beok-cha,” meaning overwhelming joy, highlighting the brand’s aim to connect more closely with communities.
On April 29, the trailer will visit Marine Corps units on Ganghwa Island to provide coffee and beverages, marking the start of its participation in the company’s “Hero Program,” which supports soldiers, firefighters and police officers.
Starbucks Korea also plans to launch a dedicated email channel for employees and customers to share stories and requests related to the initiative.
“S:Buck-Cha was created to reach communities that have limited access to Starbucks and to offer a warm cup of coffee where it’s needed most,” said Son Jung-hyun, CEO of Starbucks Korea.
stlee0329@heraldcorp.com
