Today (June 4, 2013), Starbucks introduces La Boulange bakery items to participating Starbucks locations in Seattle (and greater Seattle locations).
I assume I have a few readers who discovered the new bakery items in the pastry case today. What did you think? La Boulange items already were in roughly 400 Starbucks stores in the Bay area/ greater San Francisco area of California.
I recommend going back and reading my previous La Boulange article – it has a lot of information in it:
La Boulange – Media preview event at the Starbucks headquarters.
I dropped by the East Olive Way Starbucks this morning, shortly before 8:00 a.m. The store looked great. Chris, a Starbucks partner, wore a pink apron and sampled all kinds of La Boulange items. I tried the new Pumpkin Cheese Cream Loaf Cake, which apparently was a last minute addition to the lineup – I don’t recall having tried it at the media event I attended. Today, I tried the small carrot cake (not sure of its exact name) with vanilla frosting, which was delicious. I thought that even the store’s door cling looked great!
I am hoping that a few readers have tried the new La Boulange items! What do you think? Obviously, you can weigh in whether or not you’ve had the chance to taste the new bakery items!
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Pastries are awful. Bring the old stuff back
Longtime SBUX fan but badly disappointed. New pastries are terrible. Bring back the scones….
Looking for other options …
New pastries are gross. Will not order anymore.
I’m so sorry they changed bakeries. Not only is the blueberry oat bar gone, but now there won’t be a cranberry bliss bar at the holidays which I look forward to every year.
@Anne – I’ve heard rumors that Starbucks is working on bringing back annual favorites like the Cranberry Bliss Bar.
That would be the only thing I would buy from them as I have tried a couple of the new pastries and found them to be of very poor quality. The rest look so unappetizing I won’t even waste my money to try them.
I tried the new pastries this past weekend. It doesn’t make any sense. How could they even try to sell these to the public. They are awful. I don’t drink coffee and only went there for the pastries. I have asked for my money back on my starbucks card as I no longer have a reason to go back. Starbucks had been kind enough to say that I don’t live in a state that forces businesses to refund money on site cards. As such starbucks refused to refund my money. Not only did they cheat all their loyal customers it of a good product they are creating people out of refund they should get.
I live in the Chicago area and they released the new pastry line up recently. My husband and I both tried several items and they were all terrible. I don’t know how you mess up a chocolate croissant and a raisin oatmeal cookie, but they managed to do it. The croissant was heavy, and not flaky. The oatmeal cookie was in the shape of granola bar (?!), so even before sampling it looked unappetizing. That the pastries were heated, didn’t help.They were sort of greasy. I can’t believe a big company like Starbucks that, despite whatever misgivings you have about big corporations, has historically exhibited good taste, made such a gaffe. We have several wonderful independent coffee shops where we live, so we weren’t patronizing Starbucks much anyway, but now we have even less reason to go.
I live in Chicago as well. So far I’ve tried the classic coffee cake which is just okay and I wouldn’t repurchase. I have also tried the reduced-fat pumpkin cream cheese loaf, which was very good. My husband has tried the plain croissant and the almond cookie and he said they were both quite good. All of the items were heated.
The new pastries are terrible . What is Starbucks thinking, certainly not about their customers!!
Will definately be going into Starbucks less.
I am so glad many are agreeing with my thoughts. But sad we now have no food choices. I hate these breads, cookies etc. They are horrid! Full of calories, fat, but no flavor; overpriced for the size also. Rubbery even when heated. I loved the reduced fat cinnamon coffee cake and blueberry. i even splurged on the scones when i could afford it; enjoyed every bite….this stuff after two items i threw both out. the calorie count alone fir the size makes me not buy it. They look unappealing also….I’ve been a very good customer since Starbucks opened and my Mom used to love the local LaBoulange which now is not the same……I don’t think anything starbucks has done before ( and believe me, I’ve not been happy with the inconsistent drinks, filthy stores and old food) but this has to be their worst decision if they care one bit about us and not buying out competition to try and boost sales. It’s so sad that they are putting business and buying out competition before taste and their customers . This morning I am driving 30 minutes to Peets instead of 4 minutes to my local Starbucks!
Very disappointed with the new products. I have always enjoyed the blueberry scones (and previously the raspberry scones which were phased out). The new blueberry scone has a sickly, sweet taste, 30 more calories, and costs 20 cents more. I’m hoping that this turns out to be a “New Coke” moment for Starbucks.
I haven’t tried the new blueberry scone, but according to the web site, the old one has 460 calories and the new one has 390.
I totally agree with everyone! I would get the pumpkin loaf every morning with my chai. The sorry replacement pumpkin with cream cheese is awful. I also didn’t know they were going to warm it up,very disappointing. They should at least ask if you want it warmed up! Very presumptuous! I will be moving to Seattle in two days and I will not be going to Starbucks anymore!
I’ve been going to SB stores for years, estimated to a $200/month habit. Since I started going I’ve never been so disappointed with the new pastries. I can only liken them to something you can buy off the shelf at 7-11 usually in the hostess section, only SBs heats them before they give them to you. There is nothing more disappointing to watch the SBs employee unwrap an individually wrapped pasty and throw it in the microwave…I’m seriously now considering Coffee Bean – at least their pastries are somewhat fresh and they don’t unwrap them from the plastic wrap beforehand.
Im sitting here in Starbucks in LA. Awful awful new range of pastries. They werent exactly stellar before but this is. Nose-dive of epic proportions. Mass faux-French pastries do not work.
I was back in the UK recently and was struck by how much more impressive the in-store food is compared to out here. Robust sandwiches etc. rather than the preponderance of cardboard fare on
offer out here.
Reall should be able to do better tbh with not a huge amount of effort. Some weird people must make these decisions at corporate.
The new bakery products at Starbucks are terrible!!! I used to love the lemon loaf, maple scones, and especially the Starbucks Oatmeal cookies. The new cookies are rectangular, dry and flavorless. I will be buying my cookies and baked goods elsewhere. You blew it big on this deal Starbucks.
I agree with everyone else. The new pastries are awful. I don’t look forward to going to SB anymore. I miss the cranberry orange scones, the pumpkin scones, and the maple oat scone. Please bring them back. We all like them much better than the La Boulange stuff.
First day around here with new pastries. Got the blueberry yogurt muffin. Just awful- rubbery and no taste. Just heard a partner tell a customer they have to warm up the new pastries. And as others have said, the price point is higher. I am not at my local and regular store so cannot gauge from people I know what their response is. But for me I so far am not sure. We shall see!
@Purple1 – I have had that blueberry yogurt muffin. Yuck. Tasteless.
I usually get the mini coffee cake loaf – one of my faves. One thing I miss is the old cinnamon rolls.
Melody glad to hear that I am not the only one to dislike the blueberry yogurt muffin. Curious- went to my local SB store later and told them how I did not like the muffin and they said that I could have asked for them to give me one to try without cost not warmed and one warmed to compare the difference. The partner said that this is a policy. Has anyone else been given that option? I am going to do that tomorrow and see if it makes a difference. Another partner told me so far customers seem to enjoy the new pastries.
Since I posted in mid-July, 35 others have offered their opinions, and overwhelmingly we are displeased!
I used to love to take my kids (ages 16, 14, and 10) and their friends to Starbucks after school or during the summer. We’d all sit around, laughing, chatting and enjoying our drinks and treats. That didn’t happen as much this summer- it’s just not the same. We tried nearly everything and sadly, we aren’t thrilled about anything.
An employee told me that they’re not suppose to ask you if you want your pastry warmed – they’re just supposed to warm it. They’re trying to “train” their clientele to want it that way. Period. But many of the employees continue to ask as a courtesy – especially if it’s for a child. One day they didn’t ask and handed my ten year old daughter a warm cheese danish. She took one bite and I thought she was going to throw up, right there, on the counter, next to the register!
Melody, do you know, has Starbucks addressed any of these concerns? Are they in denial? Do they have sticks in their ears? Or are the 40 or so of us posting on this thread the minority?
Woo – hoo! Look what I found! https://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Hate-Starbucks-Pastries/100689810006869!
I’m late with my comments… but the new pastries are terrible. Someone in SODO must have had a great contact with the new chefs, but forgot to see if they could actually produce a good product. And probably got a bonus because of it. Yechh.
I have heard they have hit NYC today… gotta get my pumpkin loaf before it is too late 🙁
That Facebook page was started long before La Boulange arrived.
Today I tried the blueberry scone not warmed and it was just awful. I also noticed at my regular store that the lines have become longer because of the warming of the new pastries and the area around the pickup is too congested. Not sure how many more new pastries I will try.
Hate it, big mistake. Have tried four or five of the new lines, awful, luckily my local Starbucks is close to a pastry shop, buy something edible and take it in with me now. Cannot see me buying food there again, Why change something that worked?
1) They changed bakeries and the new bakery has poor, poor quality pastries 2) they heat up all of your pastries? WHY?? Stupid mistake. 3) They don’t ask you if you want the pastry heated up or not? Bad customer service. I am so happy I found all of these comments…exciting to know I am not the only one. I walked into my local Starbucks one morning, excited about the fall season and excited to order my pumpkin spice latte. Should I order a pastry today? Yes, I should go for it. Why not, it’s Friday. I looked into the glass case and was confused to find what looked like fake pastries? Plastic. They not only look awful, they taste awful. I still, hesitantly, asked for a chocolate croissant. Why not?! What I got back was a wet, soggy, brownish, flat mess. I am extremely disappointed. They didn’t even ask me if I wanted it heated up or not. Starbucks, re-do your pastry business model. This is clearly not working.
Well, I have tried the morning bun – it was just ok. I guess it is supposed to be a cinnamon bun because i saw cinnamon, but all I could taste was bun.
Tonight I had the cheese danish – it was NOT heated up! And it was chewy! So gross.
I thought it was just me. I had one on Monday while ordering in the drive through and it didn’t taste that good and it was warmed I thought, how odd so I went inside today and to my surprise, everything I liked is gone. No more lemon cake. No more scones, and I had a glazed donut today and awful! Tasted like what you get out of a box at a grocery store. Sorry corporate but you out-crafted yourself in this decision….
Ugh please go back to the old pastries…I miss my old Pumpkin loaf that rest of the US gets!!!
i will say in general the old baked goods were bad. so it is a bit shocking and disappointing that the new baked goods are actually worse. the only baked good i would get at starbucks is the pumpkin bread (loaf). the new pumpkin cream cheese thing is gross — has no pumpkin flavor was more like a bad supermarket muffin. the old pumpkin bread was a million times better. sad sad sad.
LOVED the original cinnamon Morning Bun the new one with the crunchy sugar crystals tastes like crap! bye bye
Starbucks, Starbucks, Starbucks, what a major mistake you made! My husband and I just sampled the new “treats”. I had the oatmeal cookie and he had an apple caramel cake. His first words were “this doesn’t smell too good” and after he bit into it, he just said “yuck” and threw it in the garbage. My cookie was barely edible and nothing like the outrageous oatmeal cookie they had before. I won’t be buying the treats anymore. The coffee is still my favorite, but I am disappointed that I can’t enjoy a treat with my coffee anymore – at least not there.
Unfathomable such a smart company could make such a huge mistake. Can you say “New Coke?”
Starbucks, you fail. If your new business plan was to drive people to Dunkin’ Donuts–guess what? You were successful. I won’t be back until you rid your stores of those soggy, slimey “new” pastries.
I was satisfied with previous assortment of pastries and regularly purchased them. The new “La Boulange” line – oy vey! Microwaved sponges – just because they “sound” better doesn’t mean they will taste better. Did any of the suits at Starbucks actually taste these mephitic nuggets before deciding to inflict them upon us? And if the intent was to have an extra employee working to staff the “pastry” case, well, the busy cafe that I frequent every day didn’t get the message. Our baristas are working harder, and we are waiting longer for our drinks, and rewarded with God awful pastry. On the flip side, the waits are getting shorter, as more and more customers are realizing how awful the new pastries are. Bravo, Starbucks. You have become the latest iteration of the “New Coke” cautionary tale.
OK so I’m not going crazy!
I’ve been amazingly let down at the taste and texture of these new pastries. They are really terrible. Did anyone from the front office taste this stuff? Their scones use to be my favorite sinful treat. Not anymore. I live in NYC so I have many options. Starbucks is officially off my list of bakery items. Amazing how terrible this new stuff is.
Hi
I live in New Jersey and thought I was the only one who hated the new pastries. everything tastes like rubber. Even the pound cakes have an awful taste when heated or not heated. If you heat it and don;t eat right away, the taste is worst. Any word on them changing back or if they read these comments? I don;t go as often as I used to now.
AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL. I’ve tasted better cardboard.
Ugh, I honestly thought I was the only one that hated the new items until I saw that Joshua David Stein wrote an op-ed piece that the NY Observer wouldn’t run http://joshuadavidstein.com/post/64384453065/half-baked-the-killed-starbucks-review
The croissants, that my toddler used to love, he now hates and they burn him, so he gets to wait until they cool/harden to be able to eat them, yuck! Even when I ask that it not be heated, or heated 1/2 way they still won’t/don’t.
I just want my very berry coffee cake back!
Please sign my petition to ban these new cardboard “treats” from Starbucks!
http://www.change.org/petitions/starbucks-get-rid-of-new-bland-la-boulange-food-items
My attitude on this thread is that if people are simply just stating their opinion – however negative about the new La Boulange items – then I’ve approved the comments. I won’t permit comments that are in any way an attack or antagonizing – There is a big difference between “I really hate the new lemon loaf!! It’s too dry!!!” and “You’re crazy that you like the new stuff!!”
One aspect of this thread that is puzzling is that Starbucks says that sales of the new food items are fine. I don’t know really what’s going on. There are some of the new items that I really like – the new coffee cake is delish. On the other hand, I really dislike the pumpkin cheese croissant thing.
Still, it comes down to time will tell. I assume that if people don’t buy enough of the new pastries, they’ll change again.
I overall feel the new pastries are not good except for maybe one or two of them so I am not purchasing as many pastries as I used to. I cannot be sure but it seems like the sales are so so around me. I am curious though whether we would ever get a true picture from SB of the sales of these new pastries and whether they would admit to the fact that they have to put in a new line of pastries or go back to what they had.
@Purple1 – From what I can see, it looks like people buy pastries at about the same rate as before. It doesn’t look like any big change – but standing in line, and listening to people doesn’t make for good data analysis.
I doubt Starbucks will go back to the previous pastries. They paid $100 million for La Boulange. I do imagine that there could be sweeping changes on the La Boulange recipes, and warming based upon feedback.
I would like to thank Starbucks for the new pastries. I don’t need them
and could never just get a coffee without lemon loaf or oatmeal cookie or very berry coffee cake.
Now it’s easy to just get the drink I came in for. I also cut out all those evening trips to Starbucks
for something sweet .
Thank you
I don’t know who wrote the comment stating that the current baker pastries are delicious. but I stopped buying the pastries there. I would like to know where the previous baker went to, so I can go there
I used to go all the time to starbucks for the maple scones. I was hooked. I recently went to an SB store for the first time in about 2 years and was shocked at the pastry counter. The scones were gone and everything looked like it had shrunk by 50% in size. Whats more the cakes look like plastic and totally unappealing.
Way to go Starbucks, drive up your share prices by offering an inferior and cheaper product.
You’ve lost my business!
I HATE the new pastries at SB! I used to love the morning bun, but the new one has orange flavor and less cinnamon and sugar. Every time I go to my regular SB and the Barista asks if I would like something to eat I say NO! PLEASE bring back the originals!