I bought the viral Starbucks bear cup after camping outside the store at 1 a.m. They only had 2 in stock
Paden Ferguson and his partner secured the only two viral Bearista cups available at their local Starbucks. Many customers were frustrated by the limited stock of these bear cups.
Anticipation for the Bear Cup Release
In October, Paden noticed online that Starbucks planned to launch new holiday drinks and desserts, including a holiday bear cup adorned with a green beanie hat and straw. For weeks, he and his partner talked about getting the cup on its release day, November 6th, expecting it to be easy to purchase around noon.
Rising Demand and Preparation
As more people shared their excitement on social media, the bear cup quickly went viral. Realizing many others had the same plan, Paden and his partner checked with their local Starbucks stores to gauge the competition.
- On the evening of November 5th, they scoped out five nearby Starbucks locations.
- At the busiest store, a barista revealed they had only seven cups in stock.
“We began to notice that other people had made the same plan. All over social media, the cups were going viral. Everyone was nuts about this bear.”
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Paden Ferguson, CEO of Padiano's Kitchen. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Newsletter Prompt
Every time Lauren Crosby Medlicott publishes a story, you’ll get an alert straight to your inbox! By clicking “Sign up”, you agree to receive emails from Business Insider and accept Insider’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Author's summary: A viral Starbucks bear cup sparked massive demand, leading Paden Ferguson to camp overnight and find only two cups available at one store, highlighting the challenge of limited release stock.