Starbucks To Debut New Olive Oil-Infused Coffees Worldwide

Starbucks has become synonymous with unique coffee flavors, and now the store that helped make household names out of peppermint mocha and pumpkin spice has their eyes on a new, and surprising, one: olive oil. Yep, you read that right, the oil you're normally using to fry garlic and onions or drizzle over some crusty bread has found a new partner in a cup of Starbucks coffee. It's not a natural combination in most people's minds, but then again the world was also just introduced to Mountain Dew flavored hot sauce, so this actually seems mild by comparison.

It may be a credit to the company, or a gimmick, depending on who you ask, but Starbucks has never stopped innovating with unusual drinks and flavors. From more basic ideas like red velvet and chile cocoa, to indescribable concepts like the unicorn Frappuccino, the international coffee chain has often made waves with bold, attention-grabbing coffee concoctions. The misses come as frequently as the hits, but there is no doubt a big part of Starbucks appeal is that it's the only place you can easily grab something like a sugar cookie latte, and when they hit, they hit. Still, an olive oil-infused coffee is a pretty big swing, and it lacks the obvious appeal of a s'mores or honey and oat milk flavor. So what is this new drink and when can we get our hands on it?

Starbucks' new line of olive oil-infused beverages bears the name Oleato and will feature a variety of drink options. According to a company press release, the three drinks in the main lineup are a latte, a Golden Foam cold brew, and an iced shaken espresso. The iced espresso and cold brew drinks will see the olive oil infused into the dairy parts of the drink — a foam in the cold brew and oat milk in the espresso. The latte will have the olive oil directly in the coffee before being topped off with steamed oat milk. These new drinks will be joined by the option to add a spoonful of olive oil into some existing drinks or top a drink with the oil-infused cold foam.

An accompanying letter from CEO Howard Shultz notes that the combination was inspired by a trip to Italy, and fittingly Milan is where the line will first roll out this week. That is set to be followed by a spring rollout in Southern California, before a more international release later this year. The olive oil itself will be Partanna cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil, from a blend that was created specifically for Starbucks. It's a bold choice, and one that will certainly generate a lot of curiosity, but with a wider release still months away only time, and your own personal taste buds, will tell how this latest Starbucks experiment works out.