Aaron Velez | Editor-in-Chief
February 24, 2023
Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee chain, is set to launch a line of olive oil-infused drinks in Italy – and soon, it will reach the United States. According to the company’s CEO, Howard Schultz, olive oil has a very “unexpected, velvety, buttery flavor… enhanced the coffee and lingers beautifully on the palate.
In general, Starbucks has faced challenges as it tried to expand into the Italian food and drinks market, which is famous for its independent and often family-run cafes. Starbucks in Italy typically has a reputation for being too sugary, overpriced, and downright “unauthentic.”
“I mean if you know one thing about the Italians, it’s that you don’t mess with their coffee,” senior Stella Olivares said. “Still, I’ll be interested to see how they take it.”
The company currently only has around 20 stores in the country compared to the over 13000 stores in the states. This means that San Clemente alone has just under one-third of the amount of Starbucks as the entirety of Italy. The new “Oleato” range, which will launch this week in Italy, will include a latte with olive oil “steamed with oat milk,” an iced shaken espresso, and a cold brew coffee infused with Partanna extra virgin oil and vanilla sweet cream foam.
Starbucks plans to bring this same selection of hot and iced drinks to stores in Southern California in the US this spring, followed by the UK, Middle East, and Japan later this year. “It’s really cool that we get it right after the soft launch in Italy,” senior Ashley Jahed stated. “From a culinary perspective, I am excited to try it… it is a really interesting combination.”
Olive oil is associated with countries in the Mediterranean, including Italy, Greece, and Spain, and is a key part of the Mediterranean diet. Its health benefits can partly be attributed to its monounsaturated fatty acids, which contain crucial vitamins and minerals. Yet, its use in coffee has hardly been as popular, as it is typically limited simply to cooking.
As we start to reach the Spring season, many SCHS students will have the opportunity to try this unique flavor profile at our local Starbucks. And due to the fact that it will be exclusive to the SoCal region, we may be the first to hop on trends and possibly give the support to make this line a staple.
yummy oil in my coffee mmmmm