The trend of adding olive oil to coffee seems to have fizzled out. Starbucks, after much fanfare, has quietly decided to phase out its line of olive oil-infused drinks called Oleato. Originally introduced in Italy in February 2023, these beverages blended espresso with Partanna extra-virgin olive oil, quickly dividing coffee lovers wherever they were available. While some embraced the novelty, others found the combination unappealing. Now, less than a year after Oleato made its January 2024 debut in the United States, Starbucks is removing the drinks from its menu. But what exactly led Starbucks to pull the plug on this unique twist on coffee?
Starbucks Says Goodbye to Oleato
Love it or hate it, Starbucks’ experiment with olive oil-infused coffee has come to an end, at least in the U.S. The coffee giant confirmed to TODAY.com that its Oleato line will be removed from U.S. stores in early November.
Introduced in early 2023 as the brainchild of former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, the Oleato line had olive oil infused into the chain’s classic beverages like Caffe Latte, Iced Shaken Espresso, and cold foam, with options like oat milk and toffee nut variations. While the practice of having a spoonful of olive oil with a coffee beverage is popular in Italy, the chain’s American version of this custom didn’t take off enough to become a new menu staple.
Without acknowledging the mixed reviews of the beverage line, Starbucks said the phase-out of the Oleato line is just a part of the brand’s usual menu rearrangement and simplification. A Starbucks spokesperson told TODAY.com that the decision to get rid of the Oleato beverages was made before Brian Niccol’s appointment to chairman and CEO, but that it aligns with his strategy to simplify the menu.
Starbucks Oleato: A Risky Brew with Mixed Results
While Starbucks Oleato was expected to be a game-changer for the coffeehouse chain, some customers reported experiencing stomach issues after trying the olive oil-infused beverages. Back in March, an anonymous Starbucks employee took to Reddit claiming “half the team” at the store they work at had digestive problems after trying the drinks before launch. Similar comments surfaced elsewhere online, with some users even referring to Oleato as a “laxative.”
However, not everyone shared this negative experience. One Reddit user countered, “I tried all 3 and loved all of them. Had no problems whatsoever.” This Redditor was referring to the three main items from the Oleato line, which were the Oleato Caffè Latte, Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew, and the Oleato Iced Shaken Espresso.
In an interview with TODAY.com last year, Registered Dietitian Frances Largeman-Roth offered a scientific explanation of the effects of Oleato drinks on digestion.
“Castor oil has long been a cure for constipation. Oil of any kind can help stool move through the digestive tract, especially if you’ve been constipated for a while,” said Largeman-Roth. “Olive oil can certainly have this effect too, especially if you’re drinking a venti or grande.”
Although menu items usually come and go at Starbucks, it looks unlikely that Oleato will ever return to Starbucks U.S. again given the mixed reviews it received from customers.