Starbucks is partnering with Ariana Grande on its latest coffee offering. The coffee chain and singer both posted twin cloud emoji tweets on Monday. Grande tagged @Starbucks, leading fans online to piece together that she was teasing the new "Cloud Macchiato," which Starbucks ($SBUX) officially launched this week. She followed those up with a pair of new tweets Tuesday morning showing the singer decked out in a Starbucks apron sipping on one of the new bevvies.
Internal documents showed that Grande was helping the company launch the new beverage, according to Business Insider.
Grande might already be considered an unofficial brand ambassador given how many times she's been snapped holding a Starbucks drink. Starbucks has not confirmed that it has a partnership with the "Thank U, Next" singer, though BI reported that as part of the promotion some stores will also feature Grande-approved playlists and songs.
The Cloud Macchiato is a twist on an Italian coffee staple. The "macchiato," literally translated to "stained" is a shot of espresso with a bit (stain) of frothed milk. Starbucks gained success bastardizing that and other Italian cafe classics with iced versions, caramel drizzles, and mocha. The Cloud version will come in cinnamon or caramel versions with a dollop of whipped cold milk foam, according to the press release.
Rowing-machine maker, Hydrow, raised $55 million in Series D funding round, led by Constitution Capital. Hyrdow offers a connected rowing machine that costs $2,495. The company's funding round comes as the at-home fitness industry is facing some challenges, due to many consumers returning to gyms after working out at home during the pandemic. Bruce Smith, founder & CEO of Hydrow, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Sam Thapaliya, Founder of Zebec, explains the two major problems associated with paying public figures in crypto, and how his firm is best-suited to help facilitate payments within the growing industry.
Wes Fulford, CEO of Viridi Funds, breaks down how several key headlines, include President Biden's executive order on crypto and rising inflation, are impacting the price of major cryptocurrencies during a volatile period.
Aviation expert Sally Gethin joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the latest on the crash of a Boeing 737-800 NG in China, as investigators look for a reason for the sudden nosedive, and search for any sign of the 132 passengers onboard.
Fresh off the announcement that cannabis company Cresco Labs plans to acquire rival Columbia Care for $2 billion in an all-stock transaction, CEO Charlie Bachtell joined Cheddar's Chloe Aiello to discuss the deal and the future of the combined companies.
Volvo electric vehicles will soon be able to charge at Starbucks ChargePoint locations. Anders Gustafsson, head of the Americas for Volvo Cars, Michael Kobori, Starbucks chief sustainability officer, and Pasquale Romano, president and CEO of ChargePoint, joined Cheddar News Wrap to talk about their joint effort to provide more accessibility for electric vehicle charging. “When you pull into the Starbucks, you pull into the parking lot and the chargers will be set up right there so you can pull in, plug in your car, walk into the Starbucks," said Kobori. "And it's a safe location to recharge, to connect to the Internet while you're charging."
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell went ahead and stirred the pot this week with a series of public talks signaling a firmer hand from the central bank going forward.
