What company originally developed the Frappuccino before Starbucks acquired it?

The company that originally developed the Frappuccino was The Coffee Connection.

The Eastern Massachusetts coffee chain created, trademarked, and sold the drink before Starbucks entered the picture. George Howell owned The Coffee Connection, while marketing director Andrew Frank is credited with creating and naming the beverage.

Starbucks acquired The Coffee Connection in 1994, gaining the rights to use, make, market, and sell the Frappuccino name and drink. Starbucks introduced its own revised version in 1995, transforming a regional coffeehouse specialty into a global product line.

The name combines “frappé,” a New England term for a thick iced drink, with “cappuccino.” The Starbucks beverage is blended with ice and may include coffee, milk, flavored syrups, whipped cream, or crème-based ingredients. Bottled Frappuccino coffee appeared in stores in 1996 through Starbucks’ partnership with PepsiCo.