Starbucks Is Discontinuing a Controversial Coffee Line For Good
In 2023, Starbucks made headlines—and sparked mixed reactions—with the launch of its olive oil-infused coffee drinks. After being available nationwide for less than a year, the polarizing beverages are about to get the boot.
According to a memo seen by Bloomberg News, the coffee giant is getting rid of its Oleato products starting on Nov. 7, which is when the company will release its holiday drinks. However, Starbucks has yet to officially announce its holiday menu launch date.
Discontinuing the olive oil drinks is part of the coffee chain's larger menu simplification strategy. Last week, Brian Niccol, who took over as CEO on Sept. 9, said Starbucks will simplify its "overly complex menu." The memo noted that the decision to remove the Oleato line was made before Niccol became CEO.
In March 2023, Starbucks introduced its Oleato drinks at select U.S. stores about a month after debuting them in Italy. The Oleato line became available nationwide in January 2024.
The current olive oil-infused coffee options include the Oleato Golden Foam Iced Shaken Espresso with Toffeenut and the Oleato Caffé Latte with Oat Milk. In addition to the olive oil drinks, Starbucks is also getting rid of the toffee nut syrup, according to the memo.
Former CEO Howard Schultz came up with the idea of bringing olive oil coffee to Starbucks after traveling in Sicily. During his time there, he participated in the Mediterranean custom of taking a spoonful of olive oil every day and decided to pair Partanna extra virgin olive oil with his morning coffee. When Shultz tried this, he discovered a "delicious and unexpected alchemy of Starbucks coffee beverages infused with Partanna extra virgin olive oil" and sought to bring this innovation to the coffee chain.
However, the olive oil-infused drinks proved to be controversial. While some customers weren't sold on the concept, others reported stomach issues after drinking the beverages.
A simplified menu isn't the only change Starbucks fans can expect to see in stores. Earlier this month, Starbucks confirmed that it's scaling back on discounts and promotions. This move is part of Niccol's goal to reposition the chain as a premium coffee brand, according to The Wall Street Journal. This year was a challenging one for Starbucks, as the coffee giant experienced multiple quarters of declining sales.
Going forward, Starbucks isn't planning to roll out broad promotions during the holiday season and will use advertising to promote its seasonal drinks.
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