Kirsty Bosley, a features writer for Birmingham Live, visited the new Vyve cafe kiosk at the Birmingham Bullring and experienced a pleasant price shock. Expecting to spend at least six pounds on a trendy drink, she was surprised to find a blueberry shortcake latte or banana pudding latte priced at just £3.75, and an iced Americano at £2.75. She even double-checked with staff to confirm the prices were not temporary opening specials, but were permanent.
Affordable Prices at Vyve
The prices at Vyve are notably lower than competitors: Costa frappes cost over £5, and Starbucks iced coffees can reach nearly £7. Bosley remarked, "It blew my mind. A frappe at Costa will set you back over the £5 mark, a posh cold coffee in Starbucks nearly £7. I was getting change back from four quid?!"
Menu and Experience
Vyve, a Yorkshire-based brand, offers unique flavors like blueberry shortcake and banana pudding, filling the gap left by Oakberry's departure. Bosley ordered a decaf blueberry shortcake oat iced latte, describing it as "VERY sweet and indulgent" though the coffee struggled to cut through due to being decaffeinated. She enjoyed the experience of walking around the Bullring with a stylish iced coffee, feeling "a million bucks."
Staff and Atmosphere
The staff at Vyve were described as "cheery and positive, encouraging and warm without being overkill." Bosley noted, "It was so nice, in fact, I wouldn't have complained so much even if the drinks were £3 more expensive than they were." She concluded, "It may be Vyve in name, but the new Bullring coffee shop - at least on this first visit - is all vibes. It's about time we got something that looked, felt and tasted special at a price that won't fill us with dread."
Vyve is located downstairs in the Bullring, near Costa, Greggs, and Pop Street. The review was conducted independently, with all products paid for by the reporter.
