SEATTLE — Starbucks Corp. is adding three food products to its menu as part of its winter menu launch. The items include a chicken, maple butter and egg sandwich; potato, cheddar and chive Bakes; and a vanilla bean custard Danish.
The egg sandwich is being added to the chain’s permanent menu while the Bakes and Danish will be available for a limited time. The introductions come at a time when the company is attempting to grow its $6 billion food business.
The egg sandwich features a layering of chicken, eggs and a maple-butter spread on a toasted oat-biscuit roll. The Danish is formulated with sugared Danish dough and filled with vanilla bean custard. The Bakes combine eggs, diced potatoes, cheddar cheese, spinach and chives.
“When creating the potato, cheddar and chive Bakes, we wanted to provide customers with a high-protein vegetarian option for their morning,” said Freshta Khosravi, a member of Starbucks food development team. “We were inspired by the familiar breakfast casserole, and the savory combination of diced potatoes, cheese, spinach, chives and eggs offers 12 grams of protein at only 210 calories for a comforting breakfast on-the-go.”
The breakfast casserole inspiration ties to the Chicago-based market researcher Datassential’s prediction that nostalgic foods will be a driver of flavor and product development in 2024.
“As millennials, Gen X and boomers longingly look back to a rose-colored past amid continued worries, while Gen Z experiences some of these trends for the first time, brands should dive into the archives for ideas,” Datassential said in its annual FoodBytes trend report. “If you have a concept that resonates with nostalgic consumers, challenge yourself to find a way to bring it back in 2024.”
The quick-service chain also is adding an iced hazelnut oat milk shaken espresso to its beverage line. The drink is made with Starbucks’ blonde espresso coffee and sweetened with hazelnut syrup, shaken and then topped with oat milk.