Starbucks makes olive oil coffee in an effort to capture the Italian market

The world’s largest coffee chain, like other American restaurant groups, struggled to break into the Italian market. While launching its first Italian coffee shop in 2017, Starbucks said it was entering the Italian market with “humility and respect” and has since cautiously expanded into 25 stores throughout northern Italy.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said he came up with the idea to include olive oil in his coffee after experimentally mixing a spoonful of green gold liquid into his morning drink while in Sicily. “I was completely blown away by the unique flavor and texture that was created,” he said in a statement. that heralded the new olive oil range as a “transformative innovation” for coffee drinkers.

A Starbucks barista mixes the oil with oat milk, either by steaming or shaking it, before pouring the resulting mixture into a shot (or two) of espresso or cold brew to create a flavor described by menu developers as “caramel-like.”

Many on social media seemed skeptical of the fabrication. “Olive oil coffee!” I have never seen an Italian drink an espresso with olive oil. pass by,” one answered.

Another called the idea “Horrible”. One person responded to the news with an emoji of Confused face.

The company said the coffee will debut in Italy before rolling out to Starbucks stores in Southern California and elsewhere internationally later this year.

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Described as “buttery,” Starbucks’ selection includes three different olive oil variants of the familiar hot and cold coffee drinks; Latte, iced espresso and cold drinks. Customers who opt for the cold brew infused with oil will taste “a silky infusion of Partana extra virgin olive oil with a creamy vanilla foam, which slowly flows through the beverage to create a smooth, rich texture,” Starbucks promises in the description accompanying the menu.

The new batch will use oil pressed from a variety of Sicilian olives known as Castelvetrano — which Starbucks describes as sweet and reminiscent of some of the syrup options. “I think of all the buttery caramels we mix with our coffee,” Amy Dilger, beverage developer at Starbucks, said of the new flavor in a press release.

This isn’t the first time the beverage giant has included the oil in its coffee drinks — though it may be the first time it has advertised it as an ingredient in marketing campaigns so prominently. Oat milk, frequently used as a dairy-free substitute in coffee, actually contains vegetable oil, for example — and some Starbucks menus list sunflower oil as an ingredient in their non-dairy milk options.

Italian coffee drinkers are known for their traditional preferences: sipping a cappuccino before noon and favoring a quicker shot of espresso later in the day, often taken while standing at the bar—which has prompted Starbucks to rework its standard offering for the local market. The coffee giant has even designed its Italian stores to feature a bar for customers standing side by side—imitating Italian tradition—and has developed bean blends tailored to the tastes of Italian coffee drinkers.

American food chains are notoriously difficult to break into the crowded Italian food and beverage market, as consumers seem content with what is already there. in local listings. in 2022, Pizza giant Domino’s announced the closure of its Italian stores after poor sales. The headline was, “Italians don’t like pineapple pizza.” One Italian daily newspaper.