8 Delicious Ways Starbucks Has Tried to Take Over the World

The fast-casual restaurant industry was abuzz in June 2012 when Starbucks announced it acquired San Francisco pastry chain La Boulange and plans to turn it into a national chain. With its hands in a number of retail segments, this news just takes Starbucks one step closer to world domination. Curious about the chain's other successful and not-so-successful pursuits? Keep reading to see what it's taken a stab at throughout the years.

With the acquisition of La Boulange, Starbucks hopes to focus on food, "what long has been seen as the company's biggest weakness," as one media outlet put it. Although the transition will be gradual (La Boulange's French pastries will slowly be phased in at Starbucks stores across the country), Starbucks hopes to eventually take La Boulange nationwide, and to ultimately compete with fast-casual lunch chains like Panera Bread.

When the economic downturn hit rock bottom, Starbucks was just like any other restaurant chain, hoping to eke out a profit. As a result of lackluster turnout in stores, the coffee chain turned to retail sales, unveiling, among other things, a superpremium ice cream line. The ice cream brand has done so well that since the ice cream line's inception, Starbucks has even come out with new flavors like Signature Hot Chocolate.

After months of speculation that Starbucks was getting into the fresh-pressed juice biz, the company acquired Evolution Fresh Juice Bar and even opened a location near its Washington headquarters.

Nothing goes better together than coffee and chocolate — a fact Starbucks came to realize back in 2008, when it teamed up with the folks at Hershey's to create an exclusive chocolate line. The multifaceted flavors — which included dark chocolate, vanilla bean truffle, and milk chocolate caffè mocha — are no more, but there's still a version of the tasting squares that customers can purchase at the checkout today.

Starbucks has long been interested in experimenting with a bar that serves wine and beer in addition to coffee. This concept's already in place in some areas of the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest.

Like the time Jamba Juice started selling hot blended beverages, there was a period when Starbucks gave smoothies a whirl with Vivanno Nourishing Blends. The hot launch quickly cooled, though.

As its customers gravitate toward healthier choices, so does Starbucks. The chain now only serves items under 500 calories, including the chain's freshness-focused Bistro Boxes, which feature everything from sesame noodles with snap peas to chicken lettuce wraps.

At the peak of the recession, value meals were a thing, even at Starbucks. The coffee titan, feeling the sting from fast feeders like McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts, introduced a string of $3.95 value meals. The new pricing, however, didn't stick around for long.