Starbucks’ latest innovation – Coffee and olive oil?

MILAN — Starbucks Corp. is introducing Oleato, a beverage line that combines arabica coffee with extra virgin olive oil. Oleato launched in Italy on Feb. 22 as a platform featuring such varieties as latte, expresso, cold brew and iced cortado.

The company plans to introduce the new platform in Southern California this spring and to Japan, the Middle East and the United Kingdom later this year.

Starbucks is partnering with olive oil manufacturer Partanna in the venture.

“When creating the beverages, we were inspired by the rich history and origin stories of coffee and olive oil — two of nature’s most transcendent ingredients,” said Amy Dilger, principal beverage developer for Starbucks. “Infusing Starbucks coffee with olive oil yielded a velvety smooth, rich texture, with the buttery, round flavours imparted by the olive oil perfectly pairing with the soft, chocolatey notes of the coffee.”

During a Feb. 2 conference call to discuss first-quarter results, Howard D. Schultz, interim chief executive officer, teased the launch of Oleato when he said, “While Starbucks has launched many successful coffee beverages over the years, my Starbucks journey will come full circle when I return to Milan later this month to introduce something much bigger than any new promotion or beverage. While I was in Italy last summer, I discovered an enduring, transformative new category and platform for the company, unlike anything I had ever experienced.”