"She smiled and said, 'Well done, so far. I'm so proud of you,'" he said. "That coffee wasn’t perfect, but it was the best cup I've ever had. Why? Because it made me feel warm. Even after I drank it,

Nobuki Shimode, who manages one of the company's stores in Japan, won the coveted title this week in Las Vegas, beating out 11 others in an intense three-day competition.

From over 84,000 baristas to one crowned champion, Starbucks hosted its first-ever Global Barista Championship in Las Vegas, highlighting creativity and customer connection. We were able to get some custom drink secrets shared by finalists.

Starbucks will soon be introducing a protein cold foam to its menus — and it contains between 15 and 18 grams of protein.

Most of the new menu items sampled by USA TODAY, including a new protein cold foam, will see additional testing before being released nationwide.

The test is part of the company's "Starting Five" innovation program, which allows select locations to test new food and drink items before they launch nationally. WASHINGTON — At select Starbucks stores,