Starbucks Discontinues Controversial Menu Item

Last year, Starbucks launched its Oleato olive oil drink line in Italy and brought it to the States in January of this year. Many customers balked at the strange coffee flavor, but they needn't worry now that Oleato drinks are off the menu.

Accordingly Associated PressStarbucks announced today that it will discontinue Oleato products in most locations starting in early November. The move is part of Starbucks' broader efforts to boost revenue after reporting a 3 percent decline from July to September. The move is part of a broader effort to simplify the chain's “overly complex menu” and ease the stress and workload of baristas, new CEO Brian Niccol explained in a statement after fiscal Q4 earnings were released last week. CNBC. But the decision to eliminate Oleato drinks was made before Niccol took over in September.

The oleato offerings were the brainchild of former Starbucks president Howard Schultz after a trip to an olive oil producer in Sicily. The drinks were created by infusing Starbucks Caffe Latte with Partanna olive oil, Iced Shaken Espresso and cold foam. For the latte, baristas steamed olive oil with oat milk and swished it in iced espressos. They mixed olive oil with vanilla sweet creamy foam on top of cold brew coffee.

But Starbucks customers in Italy, Japan, and China are in luck because Oleato will still be available at some locations in those countries.

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