The holiday season just got a touch more adorable. Starbucks is teaming up with Hello Kitty, the beloved global icon from Sanrio, for a limited-edition 2025 holiday merchandise collection launching November 6 across stores in the United States and Canada. Featuring an assortment of mugs, tumblers, plush toys, and gift cards, the collaboration brings together two cultural powerhouses to celebrate connection, nostalgia, and kawaii joy.
A Collaboration Steeped in Shared History
“Starbucks and Hello Kitty have strong fandoms and deep roots in culture,” Kap Pitarys, director of U.S. merchandise for Starbucks, said in a statement. “Interestingly, both were born in the ’70s – Hello Kitty in 1974 and Starbucks in 1971. We’re excited to bring back that nostalgic vibe with this special collaboration this holiday season.”
For Starbucks, the partnership is an invitation to expand its brand storytelling beyond coffee. For Sanrio, it’s a golden opportunity to reintroduce Hello Kitty to a North American retail landscape increasingly driven by collectable collaborations and nostalgia-driven marketing campaigns.
This marks the first time a full-scale Starbucks x Hello Kitty collection will be available in North America, following successful pop-ups and limited releases in Asia.
The Collection: Together in Fun Forever
At the heart of this special release is the playful theme Together in Fun Forever, encapsulating the shared values of friendship and positivity that both brands embody.
The collection features a variety of items designed for gifting (or self-indulgence), each incorporating the character’s signature sweetness with Starbucks’s refined design aesthetic.
Available items include:
- Boxed Plush: A cuddly Hello Kitty dressed in a Starbucks green apron with her signature red bow.
- Ceramic Mug: A red-and-white mug featuring a festive Hello Kitty topped with a red silicone lid shaped like her bow.
- Stainless Steel Tumbler: A 12-ounce double-walled tumbler designed for both hot and cold drinks.
- Cold Cup: A 24-ounce acrylic cold cup adorned with Hello Kitty and her teddy bear, Tiny Chum, surrounded by Starbucks coffee beans.
- Water Bottle: A 20-ounce stainless steel bottle emblazoned with the words Together in Fun Forever.
This limited-edition lineup will be sold only while supplies last, ensuring its value as a collectible for fans.
Retail and Cultural Impact
The collaboration also comes as Starbucks continues to expand globally amid operational shifts, including investments in automation and a restructuring of its North American operations. Collaborations like this with emotionally resonant partners like Sanrio bring big ROI because they’re selling more than coffee—they’re selling joy, nostalgia, and collectability.
This strategy aligns with Starbucks’s increasingly experience-driven marketing model, transforming seasonal beverage campaigns into lifestyle activations that appeal to both Millennial and Gen Z consumers.
The Nostalgia Economy
The collaboration taps into retail’s ongoing reliance on nostalgia. Both Starbucks and Hello Kitty thrive on ritual, sentiment, and emotional symbolism. Hello Kitty’s design simplicity creates universality—it’s why she became a cultural ambassador for friendliness and joy. Starbucks offers a similar ritual through its coffee culture. Together, they tell a story about connection that transcends age.
Both brands use visual storytelling as emotional currency—red cups and iconic bows, nostalgic motifs that inspire annual anticipation. For consumers, this collection intertwines two longstanding holiday rituals: the return of Starbucks’s holiday drinks and the feel-good familiarity of Hello Kitty’s optimism.
Made for the Modern Collector
The limited-edition nature of the collection plays into Starbucks’s proven model of exclusivity. Each drop—like its annual red cup day—relies heavily on social media buzz, influencer posts, and user-generated content. The plush toys and mugs are designed to be highly photogenic collectibles, tailor-made for gift guides, flat-lay photography, and unboxing videos.
Launch Details
For many loyal fans, this release promises more than festive merchandise, it signifies a joyful reunion of two cultural icons whose global stories began half a century ago. With its adorable designs, collectible packaging, and cross-generational appeal, the Starbucks x Hello Kitty collaboration may well become one of the defining retail moments of Holiday 2025.
