Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) today launched Teavana Oprah Chai Tea, which was personally developed by Oprah Winfrey in close collaboration with Teavana’s leading tea teaologist. Oprah’s personal tea passion and the deep expertise of Teavana have resulted in a distinctive blend featuring a bold infusion of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves, blended with loose-leaf black tea and rooibos. Customers can now enjoy the blend as a handcrafted latte or loose-leaf tea in participating Starbucks stores across the U.S. and Canada. The loose-leaf tea and brewed tea is available in Teavana stores across the U.S. and Canada.
As part of this new core offering, Starbucks will make a donation for each Teavana Oprah Chai Tea product sold to benefit educational opportunities for youth through the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation provides funding for the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls – South Africa and is dedicated to helping its graduates attend colleges and universities. The foundation will support additional youth education through Girls Inc., National CARES Mentoring Movement, Pathways to College and the U.S. Dream Academy. For more information on these organizations, please visit www.oprah.com/SteepYourSoul.
“This is a momentous day for Starbucks and Teavana collectively, and we are honored to share Teavana Oprah Chai with our customers,” said Howard Schultz, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “This distinctive and remarkable tea developed personally by Oprah Winfrey, someone whom I admire and that shares so many of our core values and beliefs, will help introduce even more customers to the ritual and comfort of a great cup of tea.”
“For years I have been steeping my own tea as part of my morning ritual, and I am very excited that starting today, Teavana Oprah Chai is available in Starbucks and Teavana stores across the country,” said Oprah Winfrey. “This new partnership came from an organic space as the mission of our two companies are naturally aligned – we both want to inspire and nurture the human spirit. The best part is, a donation from every sale will go to support youth education starting today.”
Starbucks customers can now enjoy Teavana Oprah Chai Tea in multiple formats, including:
- Handcrafted Teavana Oprah Chai Tea Latte: A bold infusion of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves, blended with loose-leaf black tea and rooibos. Lightly sweetened and finished with steamed milk or cold milk poured over iced. Starbucks will donate twenty-five cents (U.S.) from every beverage sold to benefit educational opportunities for youth through the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation. Available at participating Starbucks® stores in the U.S. and Canada and Teavana Fine Teas + Tea Bars in the U.S.
- Brewed Teavana Oprah Chai Tea: A bold infusion of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves, blended with loose-leaf black tea and rooibos. Starbucks will donate twenty-five cents (U.S.) from every hot or iced brewed tea to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation. Available at participating Teavana® stores in the U.S. and Canada and Teavana Fine Teas + Tea Bars in the U.S.
- Teavana Oprah Chai Loose-Leaf Tea: Available pre-packaged in a reusable storage tin in participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada – $14.95 (U.S.). Also available as a scooped loose-leaf tea at Teavana stores in the U.S. and Canada – $14.98 (per 2 oz.). Also available in Teavana stores, 8 oz. and 16 oz. reusable storage tea tins. Starbucks will make a $1 (U.S.) donation for each 2 oz. loose-leaf tea and $1 (U.S.) for each storage tea tin sold at participating stores. All donations benefit the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation.
- Teavana Oprah Chai Tea Gift Sets:
- Small Set: Includes 2 oz. tea plus a double wall glass tumbler and stainless steel filter – $39.95 and a $1 donation per set. Available in participating Starbucks stores in the U.S.
- Large Set: Includes 8 oz. tea with two cups and a tea pot – $119.95 with a $4 donation per set. Available in participating Teavana stores in the U.S. and Canada.
Starbucks Opens Teavana Fine Teas + Tea Bar in Chicago
In addition, today Starbucks and Teavana opened a Teavana Fine Teas + Tea Bar in Chicago. The new tea bar is located in Chicago’s Southport neighborhood at 3428 Southport Avenue, and features a carefully curated assortment of handcrafted tea beverages, premium loose-leaf teas, tea-inspired food offerings and beautifully made tea merchandise, making the ritual of tea more elevated and accessible for customers. Starbucks plans to open additional Teavana Fine Teas + Tea Bars in Los Angeles and additional stores in New York City later this year. The Tea Bars will also feature Teavana Oprah Chai.
