I’m a big fan of Starbucks, but their new extra virgin olive oil-infused drink has me questioning what their baristas are thinking.

Starbucks’ new drink is called an Oleato, and it comes in two different flavors. According to their menu, you can get an Oleato as “An oat milk latte infused with the extra virgin olive oil; and a new toffeenut iced shaken espresso with golden foam, which is vanilla sweet cream infused with extra virgin olive oil into a cold foam.”

Starbucks just launched this new Oleato extra virgin olive oil-infused drink across all of its US and Canada locations. 

The drink first debuted in Italy in 2023, with Starbucks executives claiming the new drink would be its “biggest launches we’ve had in decades.”

So where did the idea for this extra virgin olive oil-infused drink come from?

The answer is none other than former CEO Howard Schultz, who fell in love with the idea of adding a tablespoon of olive oil each day after meeting with olive oil producer Tommaso Asaro who introduced him to the practice. Howard Schultz immediately asked his Starbucks’ beverage team if they could come up with a drink that included extra virgin olive oil. The rest is history as they say.

How are Starbucks customers receiving the new drink?

Not well, if subpar reviews from customers and critics are to be believed.

Reviews have ranged from instant regret that they tried the new drink, to others that feel like the drink is more of a marketing stunt. On the extreme end of reviews include some customers who have said the drink made them have to run to the bathroom.

There is some science that supports drinking a tablespoon of olive oil each day. There is research that links drinking olive oil to lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as lowering blood pressure. Dieticians have long toured the Mediterranean diet that replaces unhealthy fats like butter with olive oil.

So maybe Starbucks is onto something with their olive oil-infused drinks, but word of caution: only try the new Oleato when you’re close to a well ventilated bathroom.

Starbucks is launching its olive oil-infused beverages nationwide