World-renowned coffee house chain – Starbucks – is taking its first steps into the world of web 3.0. The coffee company is partnering with Polygon to build a blockchain-based loyalty program called Starbucks Odyssey which will allow members to purchase non-fungible tokens (NFTs) representing digital collectible stamps.

On Monday, Starbucks announced that the new program will be available to members of the current Starbucks Rewards loyalty program and all Starbucks employees in the United States. The program will give members access to a variety of experiences, including artist collaborations, merchandise and exclusive events. It will also host interactive games that challenge participants’ knowledge about Starbucks while rewarding them with NFTs.

NFTs are unique tokens that can be used to represent real assets or serve as collectibles. While formerly serving as merely images on the internet, NFTs are increasingly providing holders with new features and benefits. Each of Starbucks’ NFTs will include a point value representing their rarity and can be bought/sold by members in a specialized marketplace. Each NFT comes with artwork created by Starbucks partners and third-parties.

The company explained that no cryptocurrency will be needed to purchase the NFTs – only a credit card. Some of the proceeds from the sale of the NFTs will be donated to foundations and special causes chosen by Starbucks Rewards members. From Monday, customers can join the waitlist for Starbucks Odyssey.

In its announcement, Starbucks stated that it deliberately chose to use Polygon due to its alignment with the company’s commitments to sustainability. Polygon uses a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, which uses considerably less energy than first-generation blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Co-founder of Polygon – Sandeep Nailwal – added that Polygon is a natural choice for Starbucks, given both groups’ focus on accessibility, diversity and sustainability.

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