Starbucks, La Boulange Transform Bakery Items

Your morning cup of joe will soon be accompanied by more than just a plain bagel and cream cheese.

According to a Starbucks press release, on June 4, company-operated Starbucks stores in Seattle followed a transformation that 400 San Francisco Starbucks stores began last April: they have begun selling baked goods crafted by La Boulange. The bakery transformation has three goals: to use high quality ingredients like specialty grains, single origin chocolate, and real butter (not oil); to follow authentic, simple recipes with recognizable ingredients; and to warm up each product to "wake up" the ingredients and bring out their flavors.

Former owner of the San Francisco chain La Boulange Pascal Rigo has been a traditional baker since his childhood in his French village's bakery. In 2012, Starbucks acquired the 20 La Boulange café-bakeries in San Francisco and hired Rigo with the plan to use Starbucks as a marketplace for Rigo's authentic pastries. "La Boulange believes in whole foods made from the freshest ingredients, including specialty grain, European-style butter and locally sourced produces," says Rigo in the release. "We are looking forward to sharing our passion with Starbucks' loyal and discerning customers."

Starbucks says that La Boulange allows the world's largest coffee retailer to serve food with the same passion as its coffee. It takes pride in the natural flavors, pure butter, and authenticity of the new products.

Some products are getting makeovers, like the standard croissant following a rustic French recipe with real butter and fluffy light layers. Newer items include the zesty, nutty, and crunchy almond cookie following a recipe from Bordeaux, France, near Rigo's hometown. Other options will include the wheat spinach croissant with a traditional béchamel, chocolate molten cake with Fair Trade Colombian chocolate, and raspberry passion fruit loaf cake.

La Boulange additions will reach Starbucks locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York by this fall. Nationwide company-operated stores will experience these improvements by the end of the year 2014.