For a limited period across Starbucks stores in the Middle East, festive favourites, including the Signature Hot Chocolate, delicious Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate and delightful Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate, will return to surprise and delight customers.

These holiday beverages continue the tradition of reminding us of the warmth and joy to be shared with friends and family during this special time of the year, said a Starbucks official.

"Signature Hot Chocolate is among the top-five best selling beverages at Starbucks," said marketing manager of Starbucks Middle East Antoun Abou Jaoude.

"Unlike coffee, it is seen as a 'treat' as opposed to a 'daily ritual.' "Our aim is to provide our customers with a premium Hot Chocolate platform that features customizable options that satisfy their beverage needs and fit the coffeehouse experience" added Abou Jaoude.

Rich and sophisticated, the creamy Starbucks Signature Hot chocolate is made of the finest cocoas topped with whip cream and dusted with cocoa, the beverage can be customized with the customers' choice of milk. Starbucks has also Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate with caramel Syrup, topped with whipped cream and drizzled with our caramel sauce, whereas the Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate customized with hazelnut syrup topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with cocoa.

And to mark the new season of coffee expertise, the much-anticipated Starbucks Anniversary Blend returns to celebrate Coffee Passion. Made from a full-bodied blend of aged Indonesian beans and complex, hearty Asia/Pacific coffees, Anniversary Blend touts an unmistakable spicy flavour presence.

The beans in Starbucks Anniversary Blend originate from multiple origins. The smooth and exotic flavours of Asia/Pacific dance in harmony with the notes of aged beans from Indonesia. The Indonesian beans are aged for three to five years before they are roasted to enhance their unique flavour properties.

"There are many coffees that customers look forward to seeing return each year, but of them all, Starbucks Anniversary Blend best represents our commitment to the true experience evoked from an amazing cup of coffee," said Abou Jaoude.

"We're committed to offering customers the highest quality coffees year-round, and the return of this particular blend is a reminder of our coffee heritage," he added. TradeArabia News Service