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By Amanda Greenwood
Associate News Editor
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A viral Starbucks cup that sold out in less than a day last year and subsequently appeared on resale sites for hundreds of dollars is making a comeback for the 2026 holiday season.
Starbucks has announced it’s bringing back its Bearista Glass Cold Cups, beginning with a new "Surprise Box Edition" featuring mystery Bearista characters.
The announcement coincides with the launch of Starbucks' 2026 holiday merchandise on Thursday, November 5, which includes an expanded range of products based on the Bearista character.
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Last year's original glass Bearista became one of the company's most sought-after collectibles. Starbucks has since confirmed that it “went viral and sold out in less than a day,” while secondary-market listings subsequently reached $1,000.
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The company has continued experimenting with limited Bearista releases during 2026. Its Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup launched in July with a two-item-per-customer limit, and Starbucks later said that the collection had mostly sold out across North America by 7 a.m. on launch day.
When Is the Starbucks Bearista Cup Coming Back?
The first of this year's new Glass Bearista cups will appear in U.S. Starbucks coffeehouses in just five days, on Tuesday, November 10.
Called the “Glass Bearista™ Cold Cup – Surprise Box Edition,” the release will contain mystery Bearista designs, meaning customers won’t know which character they’ve got until they open the box. Starbucks says the collection will be sold in limited quantities and will be available while supplies last.
Collectors looking for the classic Bearista cup will have to wait slightly longer. Starbucks says the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup will return to select coffeehouses on December 1 and will also only be available while supplies last, which could spark a repeat of last year’s viral sell-out.
The new cups follow the launch of a wider Bearista holiday collection on November 5.
Products available from Thursday include a 13-ounce Bearista Bow Tumbler for $29.95, a Bearista Espresso Mug and Snowglobe Gift Set for $22.95, a Bearista Holiday Ceramic Mug for $19.95, a Glass Bearista Ornament for $16.95, and a Double-Wall Bearista Glass Mug for $16.95.
What Happened With the Starbucks Bearista Cup Last Year?
The return follows extraordinary demand for the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup during last year’s 2025 holiday season.
The 20-ounce glass cup was shaped like a teddy bear, topped with a green beanie-style lid, and sold for $29.95 when it launched on November 6, 2025.
Demand was so high that customers reported arriving before stores opened and lining up in an attempt to buy one.
At the time, Starbucks acknowledged that interest had surpassed its forecasts.
"The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations," the company said in a statement at the time, adding that it had shipped more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item that holiday season, but they had nevertheless "sold out fast."
Starbucks apologized for the disappointment caused to customers who missed out.
The shortage quickly spilled over into the resale market.
Listings on reseller sites such as Facebook Marketplace were reportedly selling the cup for around $150 to $400, compared with the original $29.95 retail price, while some sellers are still asking for close to $1,000.
Newsweek has contacted Starbucks for comment.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editor on this story: Edward Pearcey.
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