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6 June 2023
AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) — Olive oil in coffee? That’s the latest flavor combination Starbucks has unveiled, rolling out a new line of specialty drinks at stores across the country.
Starbucks launched the new line of Oleato beverages in February, making it available first in Italy before expanding it to Southern California, Japan, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom.
The beverages include Starbucks’ arabica coffee infused with extra virgin olive oil from Italian brand Partanna, which “creates an entirely new experience,” the company explains.
The olive oil-infused line includes:
Oleato cafe latte: light roast espresso infused with extra virgin olive oil and steamed with oat milk
Oleato iced shaken espresso: coffee beverage featuring toffee nut, espresso, and oat milk, infused with extra virgin olive oil
Oleato golden foam cold brew: extra virgin olive oil-infused cold foam atop cold brew
Following a March debut in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle, Starbucks announced Tuesday it is expanding the coffee line into 11 new states.
Starbucks’ new line of extra virgin olive oil-infused coffee drinks is now available at select Austin locations. (Starbucks)
Select company-operated Starbucks stores in Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont are now serving Oleato beverages. This includes locations in Austin, Texas; Providence, Rhode Island; and Miami, Florida.
Additional stores in New York, Illinois, California, and Washington state are also now selling the Oleato line.
You can find your nearest Oleato-serving Starbucks using the company’s store locator and using the ‘Oleato Beverages’ filter.
CEO Howard Schultz previously said in a press release that the idea to add olive oil to coffee came from a trip to Sicily he made last year, where he was “introduced to the Mediterranean custom of taking a spoonful of olive oil each day.” One morning, he decided to add it to his coffee, describing the combination as “a delicious and unexpected alchemy.”
“Now, there’s going to be people who say, ‘Olive oil in coffee?’ But the proof is in the cup. In over 40 years, I can’t remember a moment in time where I’ve been more excited, more enthused,” said Schultz. “That demonstrates the pride, the quality, the passion, the heritage and the craft of what Starbucks can do.”
It hasn’t, however, caused the best response from everyone. Some customers reported on Reddit that they suffered stomach issues, including a “laxative” effect, after drinking an Oleato beverage.
Erin Palinski-Wade, a registered dietitian nutritionist, told CNN that the combination of high fat in the drinks from the olive oil and the caffeine can cause cramping and the aforementioned impact in the bathroom.