This spring, Southern Californians will be able to sample Starbucks’ new Oleato line — coffee confections featuring a dollop of olive oil.
I’m not making this up.
The Oleato line has debuted in (natch) Italy, where Starbucks execs will be able to gauge reaction among olive-oil-loving patrons before exporting the new drinks stateside.
“During my first trip to Milan in 1983, I was captivated by the sense of community, connection and passion for coffee I found in the city’s espresso bars,” interim CEO Howard Schultz said in a statement.
“It was that trip that inspired me to bring the ritual of handcrafted espresso to Starbucks and to America. Oleato represents the next revolution in coffee that brings together an alchemy of nature’s finest ingredients.”
Well, yeah.
But just because you can mix ingredients doesn’t mean you should.
For instance, the new Oleato latte “is infused with Partanna extra virgin olive oil and steamed with creamy oat milk.”
The Oleato cold brew offers “the inviting aroma of lush Partanna extra virgin olive oil infused cold foam.”
It’s well-established that olive oil can be good for your heart, so maybe this is a good thing.
But considering that not one person has ever entered a Starbucks and thought, “Gosh, if only they’d put a spoonful of olive oil in my java,” this looks like a roll of the dice on Starbucks’ part.
“When creating the beverages, we were inspired by the rich history and origin stories of coffee and olive oil — two of nature’s most transcendent ingredients,” said Amy Dilger, Starbucks’ principal beverage developer.
“Infusing Starbucks coffee with olive oil yielded a velvety smooth, rich texture, with the buttery, round flavors imparted by the olive oil perfectly pairing with the soft, chocolatey notes of the coffee.”
Um, OK.
If buttery, round flavors are what you’re looking for in a cup of pick-me-up.
