The coffee giant Starbucks today is launching its blockchain-based loyalty program and NFT community, Starbucks Odyssey, to its first group of beta testers in the United States.

Starbucks Odyssey combines customer loyalty rewards with the collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other gamified elements. The coffee chain giant announced the project to investors earlier this year, saying it envisioned it as a way for its most loyal customers to earn a broader, more diverse set of rewards beyond the perks they can earn today.

It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee ☕☀️@Starbucks Odyssey Beta is LIVE #onPolygon.
👉🏼The journey begins this week for a limited number of members.

Get a sneak peak 👀 at the exclusive, #Web3-powered experience ✨👇🏿https://t.co/Rc915hibPi pic.twitter.com/rDrfFQDaUC

— Polygon – MATIC 💜 (@0xPolygon) December 8, 2022

Starbucks made the Web3 extension to its Starbucks Rewards programme available to a “small group of waitlist members,” which included employees and customers, allowing them to participate in interactive “Journeys” that earn “Journey Stamps” in the form of Polygon-based NFTs.

The Journeys are intended to promote the Starbucks brand while also teaching customers about coffee and the history of the company.

Users will also receive “Odyssey Points,” which will grant them access to new benefits and experiences in the future, such as virtual espresso martini-making classes, exclusive events, and real-life experiences such as visits to Starbucks roasteries and coffee farms.

Instead of being redeemed for rewards, the points accumulate over the course of the year. The points are reset at the end of the year, and the user can start over. However, they must keep the NFTs, which will later be integrated with the Starbucks app, allowing customers to customize their Starbucks Card or be printed on other merchandise.

Starbucks has always served as the Third Place, a place between home and work where you feel the warmth of connection over coffee, community, and belonging. The Starbucks Odyssey experience will extend the Third Place connection to the digital world.says Brady Brewer, Starbucks’ chief marketing officer.

According to the announcement, the initial invitations were sent to a small group of waitlist members and Starbucks partners in December. Monthly invitations will be extended to a larger group of waitlist members beginning in January 2023.

Members who were invited to the beta launch will also have access to the Starbucks Odyssey market, which is powered by Nifty Gateway and allows users to buy and sell digital collectible Stamps. According to Starbucks, Odyssey participants can buy Stamps using a credit card rather than a crypto wallet or cryptocurrency to make the journey seamless.