- Starbucks launches Starbucks® Teavana™ Handcrafted Beverages and Full Leaf Tea Sachets across Asia
HONG KONG, 2016-Sep-12 — /EPR Retail News/ — Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) today announced the introduction of Starbucks® Teavana™ as a core offering in more than 6,200 stores across its 16 markets in the China and Asia Pacific region. A new brand for Starbucks in Asia, Starbucks® Teavana™ Handcrafted Beverages and Full Leaf Tea Sachets are now available for the first time giving customers across Asia the opportunity to enjoy a range of unique iced and hot tea beverages with bold, layered flavors, handcrafted the way only Starbucks can.
“The launch of Starbucks® Teavana™ in China and Asia Pacific brings an entirely new and modern tea experience specifically developed for our customers, who increasingly want new and different tastes and experiences,” said John Culver, group president, Starbucks Global Retail. “This is a tremendous opportunity to leverage the company’s expertise in creating best-in-class retail experiences, handcrafting customized beverages, and sourcing the finest ingredients, to become a leader in a new category for us. Just as we’ve done for coffee, this is tea reimagined at Starbucks.”
Tea is a $125 billion global category and is the second most consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. The launch of Starbucks® Teavana™ is the first time Starbucks has launched a brand on this scale since 2008 with the launch of Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew, and represents an important growth opportunity for the business.
In 2015, Starbucks tea business in the U.S. grew by 12 percent with all tea categories posting strong growth, led by iced tea at 29 percent. Building on this and the success of Teavana™ to date in other parts of the world, Starbucks aims to increase its global tea business to $3 billion over the next five years.
Fueled by innovation, Starbucks® Teavana™ handcrafted beverages include Matcha & Espresso Fusion, Black Tea with Ruby Grapefruit and Honey, Iced Shaken Green Tea with Aloe and Prickly Pear and Iced Shaken Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls, which may vary by market.
With Starbucks® Teavana™, Starbucks also draws on its long heritage of commitment to using only the most premium, high-quality ingredients. Leveraging deep relationships with tea growers, Teavana sources the world’s highest-quality teas and botanicals. Starbucks sourcing and blending experts cup (taste) hundreds of teas daily to select only the finest teas for Starbucks® Teavana™.
Teavana continues to be a strategic priority for Starbucks. Starbucks acquired Teavana Holdings, Inc. in December 2012, and together provide unparalleled expertise in the super premium tea category, bringing exotic blends, great flavors, wellness and innovation to customers globally.
Starbucks® Teavana™ will be available in stores across all its markets in the China and Asia Pacific region: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Starbucks Teavana Handcrafted Beverages
The beverages have been specifically developed for Asian customers. Availability and range of beverages may vary by market. They include:
Matcha & Espresso Fusion
Matcha powder layered with milk and Starbucks signature Espresso Roast creates a beautiful layered beverage and is an inventive combination of coffee and tea, to be enjoyed hot or iced.
Black Tea with Ruby Grapefruit and Honey
Traditional western black tea combined with tart Star Ruby red grapefruit, perfectly portioned in honey for a touch of added sweetness.
Iced Shaken Green Tea with Aloe
The familiar flavor of green tea paired with refreshing diced aloe and an exciting new syrup of prickly pear – a cactus plant native to the American Southwest.
Prickly Pear and Iced Shaken Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls
This refreshing beverage combines Starbucks® Teavana™ hibiscus tea and bursting pearls of real pomegranate juice for a tart kick of flavor.
Starbucks Teavana Full Leaf Tea Sachets
Nine new, delicious and vibrant Starbucks® Teavana™ hot teas will be available. Availability and range of beverages may vary by market. They include:
Black Teas
English Breakfast – A handcrafted blend of Indian Assam, Sri Lankan Ceylon and Chinese black tea. This tastes great with or without milk.
Earl Grey – A bright blend of black teas, fragrant bergamot essence and soft lavender.
Chai – This distinctive chai tea blend is a bold black tea with strong ginger and black pepper, cooling cardamom and sweet cinnamon notes.
White Teas
Youthberry™ – Inspired by super fruits, acai fruit is blended with tropical pineapple and mango flavors with high quality white tea, balanced by rosehips and tart green apple.
Green Teas
Emperor’s Clouds and Mist™ – Exclusively harvested during the month of April and grown on the steep, windy slopes of Huangshan Mountain at 3,500 feet above sea level, this tea has a rich body and a naturally sweet flavor.
Mint Citrus – This refreshing blend combines green tea, lemon verbena, tropical lemongrass, and U.S. Pacific Northwest sourced spearmint for a bright and citrus green tea experience. Chun Mee, also referred to as “Precious Eyebrows,” is the natural green tea base used in this blend.
Herbal Teas
Hibiscus – Bright, juicy papaya and mango combined with citrus lemongrass for a naturally caffeine-free blend. Hibiscus flowers lend the tea a slight tartness and extraordinary deep fuchsia color.
Mint Blend – This tea’s spearmint base is rounded out with cool peppermint notes and undertones of spicy-sweet lemon verbena. The mint leaves come from the highly sought after and prized Pacific Northwest mint known for its high amount of mint oil.
Chamomile – The Chamomile used for this tea is sourced from Croatia. It provides the overarching flavor for this soft, soothing floral blend.
Media contact:
Global
Phone: 206 318 7100
Email: press@starbucks.com
Source: Starbucks
###