Expanding to Japan as the third market in the world, the innovative “The New Coffee Ritual” was born from the encounter of coffee and olive oil!
Starbucks Coffee Japan Co., Ltd. will begin selling a new innovative coffee line called “Starbucks Oleato™ on Thursday, April 20, 2023, which combines Starbucks coffee with extra virgin olive oil. The product will be available at 63 stores, including Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo and nationwide Starbucks Reserve® stores. Oleato™ will be launched as a new standard line alongside espresso beverages such as Starbucks lattes and Frappuccinos.
Starbucks launched Oleato™ in Milan, Italy, inspired by the espresso culture, on February 22, 2023. It was then released in stores, including those in Seattle, the birthplace of Starbucks, and on the West Coast on March 23. Finally, Starbucks will start selling Oleato™ in Japan, the third-largest market in the world and the first non-North American market where Starbucks has expanded its brand.
The birth of Oleato™ began with a meeting at an olive farm on the Sicilian island in the summer of 2022, where Howard Schultz, the founder and honorary chairman of Starbucks, stayed. The family of the farm had inherited a tradition of consuming a spoonful of extra-virgin olive oil daily, believing it brings joy to their hearts, which Howard thought to combine with coffee.
Howard announced the launch of “The New Coffee Ritual” in Japan with his employees and customers in Tokyo. “Since its release in Milan and some markets in the United States, partners’ pride and customers’ excitement for Oleato™ have far exceeded expectations. As I launch this new coffee innovation in Japan this week, I am once again reminded of the community, human connections, passion for coffee, and handmade flavors that are timeless and universally meaningful. I am delighted to introduce the next coffee revolution, combining Starbucks coffee and Palutana’s cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil, the best gifts from nature, to the Japanese market. Oleato™ has taught us new possibilities for Starbucks,” says Howard.
Starbucks Coffee Japan CEO Takafumi Mizuguchi, who received the baton of Oleato™ from Howard, says, “I am thrilled to be able to offer our Japanese customers Starbucks’ innovative new beverage line. We believe this beverage, which combines two unexpected gifts from nature, will exceed our customers’ expectations and provide them with a special experience.”
The surprisingly delicious experience where coffee meets olive oil is beyond imagination.
Oleato™ is a new line of innovative coffee beverages from Starbucks that combines Arabica coffee with a spoonful of Partanna cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil. In Japan, three products will be released. The extra-virgin olive oil used in Oleato™ beverages is a blend selected by Partanna, a historic Italian olive oil brand, to complement Starbucks coffee. Partanna’s olive oil has a unique taste that features a nutty flavor with a subtle sweetness and a rich, buttery, caramel-like flavor that pairs well with Starbucks coffee. The surprising and unexpected combination of coffee and olive oil creates a harmonious taste experience with a velvety smooth texture, delicate sweetness, and rich aroma that elevates one’s senses and makes a new ritual for coffee lovers.
The development group manager for beverages, Takashi Shimizu, who was responsible for the recipe of the Oleato™ products released in Japan, expressed his excitement about launching this new product line in Japan and explained that the team had optimized the product for the Japanese market while preserving the surprise and experience that Oleato™ brings. Shimizu believes that Oleato™, born out of innovative ideas and experimentation, will become a new habit for Starbucks customers in Japan, who want to drink it daily.
* Sales period: April 20, 2023 (Thursday)-Scheduled to be sold as a standard product throughout the year.
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