Starbucks is no stranger to offering up dozens of fun coffee flavors, but their latest creation features an ingredient you’re almost guaranteed to have never had in your coffee before: olive oil.
Called Starbucks Oleato, the new line of drinks blends Starbucks arabica coffee with Partanna cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. The chain says the drinks offer a “velvety smooth, deliciously lush new coffee experience.”
The new line has debuted in Italy with six drinks: Oleato Caffé Latte, Oleato Iced Shaken Espresso, Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew, Oleato Iced Cortado, Oleato Deconstructed and Oleato Golden Foam Espresso Martini. The last three drinks are available only at the Reserve Roastery Milan and use Starbucks Reserve Espresso.
Starbucks next plans to introduce Oleato in select markets around the world, starting with Southern California this spring, followed by Japan, the Middle East and the United Kingdom.
Starbucks has not said if the drink will be offered in every U.S. state yet. If the company decides to expand the line, it will likely not be anytime soon, as the other debuts around the world won’t happen until later this year.
While the drinks all include olive oil, the other ingredients differ. The Oleato Caffè Latte, for example, is steamed with oat milk, while the Oleato Iced Cortado is made with demerara syrup and orange bitters. The Oleato Deconstructed has passionfruit cold foam.
In certain markets, customers can also add a press (about a spoonful) of Partanna extra virgin olive oil to select beverages. This customization will be infused into some drinks, like espresso beverages and tea lattes. Golden Foam will also be available for customization.
So, why olive oil? While traveling in Italy last year, interim CEO Howard Schultz was introduced to the Mediterranean custom of taking a spoonful of olive oil each day, which he drank alongside his morning coffee. The two at the same time sparked the idea to try them together and the new Oleato line was born.
“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,” Amy Dilger, principal beverage developer for Starbucks, said in a press release. “One thing that’s special about Partanna’s olives is their uniquely nutty, slightly sweet flavors — think of that rich smoothness of a buttery caramel, it’s a natural complement to our coffee.”
Would you like to try Starbucks’ new Oleato beverages?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
