and I discovered the Italian coffee bar, the Romance of Espresso, and I was swept away.

I raced back to America with a dream.

Who could've imagined that in the summer of 2022, I found myself in Sicily.

And, once again, I had another epiphany.

And what I discovered was the alchemy, the extraordinary, unbelievable opportunity to infuse Partanna olive oil into Starbucks coffee.

We were so taken with the care, the integrity, and the values of this family that's been doing this for over a hundred years,

and the precision of nurturing the soil and then pressing the olives within hours.

And it reminded me of so many coffee farms I've seen around the world, but specifically Hacienda Alsacia in Costa Rica, where we do the exact same thing.

The symmetry of my own experience in the coffee business and learning firsthand what they've been doing was magical for me.

Never imagining that something that has been around for thousands of years could actually create this luscious, velvet, extraordinary flavor that lingers in your mouth,

creates this incredible viscosity on your lips and your tongue, and enhances every single hot and cold beverage.

Italy, for me, is so central to my life and to the company.

And, you know, what I experienced in 1983 changed my life and the course of history for Starbucks.

The fact that, 40 years later, I had another experience that's about to transform the company.

And both experiences were born out of the heritage and tradition of the Italian culture.

[Italian] Bravissimo!