Starbucks raises quality of food, not prices

Starbucks is cleaning up their baked goods and adding greens to their menu.

Thu, Jun 04 2009 at 1:22 PM EST

photo by Nico Kaiser

Did you know that the number one selling food item at Starbucks is oatmeal? No? Me neither. According to Reuters, which reports that Starbucks is revamping its food menu at the end of this month, oatmeal sells better than the muffins, scones or brownies at the coffee chain.

If people are passing up the baked goods for oatmeal, Starbucks has realized that the demand for healthy foods is on the rise. They are unveiling a new food menu that will be about 90% revamped. The tag line for the new campaign is “Real Food. Simply Delicious.”

What will be new?

Baked goods will no longer have high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors or artificial dyes
Preservatives will be removed wherever possible
Salads will be introduced
Reworked baked goods, including a Banana Walnut Bread made from 11 ingredients -- a number closer to homemade
A reduced-fat Very Berry Coffee Cake that is 20 percent fruit
An organic blueberry bar that was previously available only in the Pacific Northwest
Indulgent treats like oatmeal cookies, double chocolate cookies and brownies will be reformulated
Breakfast sandwiches made with egg whites

What won't be new?

Higher prices. Starbucks is choosing not to raise the prices on these new healthier foods -- a smart move in this economy.

This isn’t Starbucks' first go at making their products healthier. In past years they have moved from whole milk to 2% milk, switched to hormone free milk, and removed trans-fats from their products.

(MNN homepage photo: Pink Sherbet Photography/Flickr)