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The Street
The Street
Tony Owusu

Starbucks's New Ingredient Belongs in Salad, Not Coffee

Starbucks (SBUX) thinks it knows what's missing from your morning cup of Joe.

It's olives. 

DON’T MISS: Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Stands Up to Trump and Now People Are Calling for Boycotts

While coffee beans and olives don't sound like a proper mix, Starbucks is betting that its new Oleato drink will be a hit with customers. 

Starbucks Oleato will combine Starbucks signature coffee with Partanna extra virgin olive oil.

Naturally, the Oleato will make its debut in Starbucks' Italy stores starting Wednesday before branching out to other markets. 

The beverage will then have a run in Southern California in the spring before launching in Japan, the Middle East, and the UK later on this year. 

The new Oleato lineup will feature a Caffe Latte with steamed oatmilk, an Iced Shaken Espresso, and a Golden Foam Cold Brew.

"In over 40 years, I can't remember a moment in time where I've been more excited, more enthused," CEO Howard Schultz said. "That demonstrates the pride, the quality, the passion, the heritage and the craft of what Starbucks can do."

Starbucks Could Use Some Good News

While Starbucks is celebrating its new menu item this week, last week, its alleged anti-unionization practices were dealt a major legal blow. 

Employees in nearly 240 Starbucks locations across the U.S. formed unions last year, and while Schulz has claimed that the company isn't strictly anti-union, he has been vocal about his opposition to labor organizing, saying in a CNN interview on Feb. 21 that he doesn't think "union has a place in Starbucks".

Last week, a couple of activist employees who were terminated from a Starbucks in Philadelphia received some vindication thanks to a decision handed down by the U.S. Labor Board. The board ordered the coffee company to "cease and desist" what appear to be a series of union-busting techniques incited against its staff. The decision also ordered that the company offer two employees reinstatement that includes back pay.

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