Starbucks food team is turning up the heat on the company’s breakfast and lunch menu.
“We saw an opportunity to create sandwiches with bold flavors,” says Sita Kacker, Starbucks product development manager. “Chorizo is popular right now and spicy is on trend, so this guided our direction.”
The food team’s collaboration resulted in two sandwiches now available in participating U.S. Starbucks stores.
Spicy Chorizo, Monterey Jack & Egg Breakfast Sandwich features spiced chorizo (sausage), Monterey Jack cheese, and a fluffy egg with caramelized onions on potato bread.
When developing the breakfast sandwich, the food team envisioned the recreation of an all-American farmer’s breakfast. “We thought about what it might be like to live on a farm, wake up really early in the morning and have a hearty breakfast consisting of eggs, potatoes and sausage,” Kacker says. “We took all of these elements and put them together in a breakfast sandwich.”
The team sourced high-quality ingredients and created sandwiches that were spicy, but also well balanced. They tested different combinations of ingredients and flavors to ensure that they all worked well together. “The breakfast sandwich is presented on artisan potato bread made with whole roasted potatoes and potato flour that has a unique bite to it,” Kacker adds. “It was the perfect way to incorporate the idea of potatoes at breakfast.”
Ancho-Chipotle Chicken Panini features chicken breast in ancho-chipotle sauce, fire-roasted poblano peppers, red onion, Gouda cheese, and spicy cilantro pesto on a ciabatta roll.
Known for its bold Latin-inspired flavors and spices, the Ancho-Chipotle Chicken Panini was created using ingredients such as red poblano peppers, cilantro, and red onions, offering customers a flavorful experience. “The chicken is slow-cooked in spices and chili to infuse these flavors in the meat and make sure it stays tender and juicy,” says Jane Hernandez, Starbucks senior product developer. “Fire-roasted poblano peppers and onions provide a smoky flavor and subtle sweetness.”
Kacker and Hernandez, who are self-described “food geeks,” look forward to having Starbucks customers try the new sandwiches. “This is something we’ve worked on and dreamed about for over a year now,” Kacker says. “It will be exciting to see people ordering the sandwiches in our stores.”