Starbucks is going full steam ahead with its controversial line of olive oil-infused coffee drinks, expanding one of its biggest new product launches in years to many more states and cities.
The so-called Oleato drinks debuted in the United States in March to somewhat negative reviews. They were then available in California, Illinois, New York and Washington, and will now be sold in more cities in those states.
Starting Tuesday, people will also be able to buy Oleato drinks in Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas and Miami, as well as in cities in several other states from Alaska to Vermont.
On the Oleato menu are an oat milk latte and a toffeenut iced shaken espresso, also made with oat milk. Each is prepared with a spoonful of olive oil, which adds 120 calories, according to Starbucks. There's also a cold brew with olive-oil infused cold foam, called golden foam, made with a double serving of olive oil. (The combination of oil and coffee, the defining feature of Oleato, reportedly caused digestion problems for some).
The unexpected line of drinks was first launched in Italy earlier this year.
Once people had a chance to try them, opinions poured in. One pair of reviewers posted a video titled "We Tried Starbucks Olive Oil Coffee Drinks and Seriously Regret It."
Others had mixed feelings, but concluded that the drinks seem more like a stunt — something worth trying, but not necessarily worth coming back for.
"We feel this line of drinks is more for the headlines than the longevity on the menu," Tasting Table noted in its review. A Bon Appétit reviewer wondered if the drinks will "turn into a 'secret' menu item, with stores outfitted with carafes of [extra virgin olive oil] in case someone wants a pump of it."
Nonetheless, the launch garnered global publicity, and the products themselves must have at least piqued people's interest. Tuesday's rollout means that nearly one-third of Starbucks' company-owned US stores will have Oleato on the menu, according to the company. And the beverages are already available in several countries globally.
Oleato is the brainchild of former CEO Howard Schultz, who announced the new line of drinks with much fanfare before he handed the reins over to the current CEO, Laxman Narasimhan.
Last year, Schultz met olive oil producer Tommaso Asaro, who introduced him to the practice of consuming a tablespoon of olive oil each day. Schultz picked up the habit himself, wondered if he could combine it with his daily coffee routine, and asked Starbucks' beverage team to see if they could pull it off.
From Starbucks' perspective, they did.
During a May analyst call, Narasimhan described the beverage launch as "highly successful," calling it "one of the top five product launches in the last five years in terms of brand awareness and excitement."
