• Ad Age, Tuesday, June 30, 2009 10:33 AM

Starbucks will announce the largest food launch in its history Wednesday in ads running in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. (Asks one commentator to Emily Bryson York's story who applauds the "operational moves and message": "What coffee pipe are they smoking? The chain is staying with its tactic of long-form newspaper ads ... to support this push?")

"There are few things good enough to go with Starbucks coffee," says the ad. "Luckily, we now have them all in our bakery case." Spokeswoman Lisa Passe says the launch is the result of a three-year project to remove artificial flavors, dyes and trans fats, as well as high-fructose corn syrup from its baked goods.

Starbucks is also introducing two lower-calorie salads, two egg-white breakfast sandwiches and a strawberry-banana flavor for its Vivanno smoothie platform, Bryson York reports, but there also will be an Indulgent Chocolate Cookie for those cocoa-craving moments.

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