Starbucks Launches Olive Oil Coffee Drinks in Italy

Starbucks, the world's biggest coffee chain, will sell olive oil-flavored drinks in Italy. The company's CEO, Howard Schultz, said that the unexpected, smooth, and buttery taste of olive oil would complement coffee well.

However, Starbucks faced challenges when it tried to expand into the Italian food and drink market because the country is famous for its independent and often family-run cafes. Currently, Starbucks has about 20 stores in Italy.

The company will introduce its Oleato range, which includes hot and cold drinks, in Italy on Wednesday, followed by Southern California in the US in the spring. The UK, Middle East, and Japan will have it later this year.

Olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean diet, which includes Italy, Greece, and Spain. It is beneficial to one's health because it contains vitamins and minerals, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyphenols, which are micronutrients derived from plants.

Some Italians boycotted Starbucks when it announced plans to open its first store in Italy in 2018. However, Mr. Schultz stated that the company was coming to Italy with respect and humility, not to teach Italians how to make coffee.


Vocabulary:

• Sweep Away
Overwhelm someone with emotion.

• Soil
The material on the surface of the ground in which plants grow.

• Luscious
Having a pleasant sweet taste or containing a lot of juice.

• Linger
To take a long time to leave or disappear.


Source: Starbucks Coffee