Starbucks is looking to remove canola oil from its food menu
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Starbucks is considering making its egg white and roasted red pepper bites without canola oil.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEATTLE – Starbucks is exploring how to remove canola oil from its food line-up in the US.
In one example, the company is considering making its egg white and roasted red pepper bites without canola oil, a spokesman said in response to an inquiry from Bloomberg News.
The company will also add a new egg bite to its menu that is made using avocado oil.
The coffee chain is in the midst of a brand revamp as it seeks to reverse a sales slump
In June, Starbucks chief executive Brian Niccol pledged in a meeting with US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr to further align the chain’s menu with the Trump administration’s health priorities.
Starbucks’ US menu has a number of items that contain canola oil, including a bacon, gouda and egg sandwich, as well as potato bakes. Starbucks did not provide a timeline for the changes to its food line-up.
Seed oils, such as soybean and canola, have become a target for Mr Kennedy and his allies, though multiple meta-analyses have indicated they have no significant impact on inflammation or the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
The health push is showing up in other places on Starbucks’ menu.
The chain removed sugar from its matcha powder in a move that boosted sales, Mr Niccol said during an April earnings call. It also nixed a surcharge for non-dairy milk, and a recent pilot involves unsweetened protein powder, which can be added to any cold foam flavour.
The chain’s latest US beverage launch was a limited-time Fourth of July themed Frappuccino. The 177ml version contains 59g of sugar, according to the chain’s website. The American Heart Association recommends that men consume less than 36g of added sugar a day and women less than 25g. BLOOMBERG
