Starbucks discontinues olive oil drinks in a push to simplify its menu

Starbucks is discontinuing its Oleato olive-oil infused beverages at most locations, part of an attempt to streamline the chain’s menu.

The Seattle-based corporation confirmed the transformation Wednesday ahead of the release of its budgetary fourth quarter profits. Later Wednesday, Starbucks’ recent Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol was scheduled to hold his first conference call with investors since he joined the corporation last month.

Starbucks said it will no longer propose Oleato drinks beginning in early November at most stores. They will be available at some locations in Italy, Japan and China.

The selection breaks a link to Starbucks’ longtime chief Howard Schultz, who came up with the concept for the drinks after visiting an olive oil producer in Sicily. Schultz called the beverage a “transformational concept” when he introduced it in Italy in early 2023. It went on sale in the U.S. earlier this year.

But Schultz stepped down as CEO in March 2023 and left the corporation’s board last fall. Since then, Starbucks’ sales have fallen as consumers push back on high prices and employees battle with the chain’s increasingly complicated menu.

Niccol, the former chairman and CEO of Chipotle, took over in September. Last week, when Starbucks’ released its preliminary fourth-quarter profits, Niccol said Starbucks needed to simplify its “overly complicated menu” and simplify operations for baristas, especially during the morning rush.

Removing Oleato is part of that push, although the corporation said Wednesday that the selection to receive it off the menu was made before Niccol took over as CEO.