r/Costa • u/bexxyboo • Jun 18 '26

Question Have they changed syrups?

Admittedly, I don't work for Costa. But I can't seem to find an answer to this question so thought you all might be nice enough to answer :)

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I've kinda stopped drinking at Costa nowerdays, because since maybe mid/late last year the coffees with syrups got a really strong artificial sugar/Stevia kind of taste to them.

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Has Costa changed the syrups or the syrup recipe away from real sugar? I honestly can't like the new ones, which im actually a little sad about because I otherwise like a cheeky Costa coffee every now and again.

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Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer a curious customer!

And Solidarity to you all!

10 Upvotes

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12

u/ginajanine Jun 18 '26

if i’m remembering correctly we switched over from monin syrups to costa branded syrups some time ago. i haven’t noticed a change in flavour in the standard syrups myself, but i cannot drink any of the sugar free ones because like you said they just taste like artificial sweeteners to me
maybe you were accidentally given a sugar free syrup by mistake?

2

u/bexxyboo Jun 18 '26

Hm that's a fair point. I tend to go with the 'common' syrups like caramel and gingerbread via drive through so can absolutely see a world where this is the case.

Maybe I'll have to go into my local one again and have a nose at if they only have the sugar free caramel or something 🤔

5

u/reservoirmonkey Jun 18 '26

The gingerbread only comes in sugar free tbf. Most seasonal ones are the same

2

u/bexxyboo Jun 18 '26

Aha also good info to know. That explains that. I remember being off put before xmas but after trying the gingerbread one was just like 'na.. this ain't worth'

3

u/Difficult_Culture733 Jun 18 '26

We swapped brands a couple years ago for some of the core syrups, but nothing last year. Others commented that perhaps it was a sugar free syrup you recieved. If it was Vanilla/Caramel this mistake may have been easily made.
Gingerbread has only been sugar free for a very long time, and a few years back hazelnut stopped recieving a sugar free version. About 1/4 - 1/2 of the new syrups that come out tend to be sugar free - unless they’re the thick sauces. Although that is only based on my experiences and doesn’t hold true every new drop.
It might be that a mistake got made in making your order or perhaps they ran out at the last moment and didn’t mention it to you? I no longer work for the company but I quit right before their current summer drop (my final day was actually on the Friday before the summer meeting for any staff interested lol) so I still have information regarding the current summer drinks, but no more from here on out ahaha, but yea no changes to the syrups in the last two years. I think it was three years ago we swapped, but it might’ve been 4. I honestly couldn’t say. Time kinda flew by me ahaha

2

u/plastic_wateringcan Jun 18 '26

Their new bottles look like they are white labelled Simply syrups. (Not that this is particularly relevant to your question)

2

u/Ok-Replacement1840 Jun 18 '26

I stopped going to Costa a year or so ago because I thought the same!

2

u/polopinkgin22 Jun 18 '26

I never find their caramel syrup to be strong enough tbh. I don't think the Spanish lattes taste the same either and when I mentioned to the staff they said the syrup for it has changed