Starbucks reimagines tea with Teavana
Little-known fact: When Starbucks began in 1971, they were known as Starbucks Coffee, Tea & Spices.
Yes, in the beginning Starbucks actually offered 27 varieties of whole-leaf tea, but somewhere along the way the tea and spices faded into the background as the brand focused on the specialty coffees, roasts and blends they’re so famous for today.
Now that the health trend is at its height, however, and with the increasing sophistication of customers thirsty for new flavors and experiences, Starbucks is reclaiming its tea heritage once again.
Yesterday, across over 290 stores nationwide, the chain launched Teavana, an in-house brand of tea used in a trio of handcrafted drinks as well as four kinds of full-leaf tea sachets available in boxes to brew at home.
“We’re offering Starbucks Teavana teas across the Asia-Pacific region in over 6,200 stores,” says Keith Cole, Starbucks Philippines’ head of marketing. “We see a tremendous opportunity to reimagine tea like it’s never been before. We see our customers evolving, wanting new experience and taste profiles that we can offer in our stores.”
Starbucks actually acquired Teavana Holdings back in December 2012, when it was a top retailer of premium teas that had 3,000 stores in North America. Considering that tea is the second most-consumed beverage in the world (after water) and is a $125-billion global beverage category, the global rollout is a tremendous growth opportunity for the brand.
“Teavana is taking a classic old beverage — tea — and giving it a modern twist,” says Jamie Silva, Starbucks Philippines category manager. “Tea has always been part of the Starbucks experience but we’ve never been seen as a tea destination. Forty-five years later we want to do for tea what we’ve done with coffee.”
In the Starbucks world not only the taste of a beverage matters but also its aroma and appearance. Here’s a handy guide to all the tea flavors, as well as the three new handcrafted beverages:
English breakfast
Proper brew color: Red amber
Aroma: Woody, almost burnt
Ingredients: A blend of Indian Assam, Sri Lankan Ceylon and Chinese black teas.
Flavor: Full-bodied black tea with rich, malty undertones; tastes great with or without milk and sweetener.
Caffeine level: Among the Teavana teas this has the most caffeine at 40 mgs per serving.
Ideal for: Those looking for a less-caffeinated alternative to coffee.
Available as: An in-store drink priced at P110 for Tall to P125 for Venti; 12 full-leaf tea sachets in a box for P525.
Emperor’s clouds and mist
What’s behind the name: It’s called “Emperor” because it’s grown in China on the cloudy, misty slopes of Huangshan Mountain 3,500 feet above sea level.
Proper brew color: Light green
Aroma: Slightly toasted
Ingredients: 100-percent green tea
Taste: A Teavana exclusive, only Starbucks has Emperor’s light, naturally sweet, toasty notes.
Caffeine level: Very low (1-15 mgs/serving)
Available as: An in-store drink priced at P110 (Tall) to P125 (Venti), 12 full-leaf tea sachets in a box for P525.
Hibiscus
Proper brew color: Deep fuchsia
Aroma: Fruity-floral
Ingredients: Papaya, mango, hibiscus flowers, lemongrass and cinnamon
Flavor: Tastes like it smells — florally and fruity with bright, juicy notes of mango and a hint of spice.
Caffeine level: None
Ideal for: Those looking for an herbal tea that’s caffeine-free.
Available as: An in-store drink priced at P110 for Tall to P125 for Venti; 12 full-leaf tea sachets in a box for P525.
Youthberry
Proper brew color: Pink
Aroma: Very fruity
Ingredients: White tea and super fruits — açai, mango, pineapple, green apple, rosehips and hibiscus.
Flavor: Citrusy but mild and not too acidic.
Caffeine level: Very low (1-15 mgs/serving)
Ideal for: Those looking for a tea high in antioxidants and low in caffeine.
Available as: An in-store drink priced at P110 for Tall to P125 for Venti; 12 full-leaf tea sachets in a box for P525.
Chamomile
Origin: Croatia
Flavor and aroma: Soft, soothing floral
Caffeine level: None
Available as: Only an in-store drink at P110 (Tall) to P125 (Venti).
Mint blend
Origin: The Pacific Northwest in the United States
Ingredients: Highly sought-after and prized Pacific Northwest mint known for its high amount of mint oil.
Flavor: Spearmint rounded out with cool peppermint notes and undertones of spicy-sweet lemon verbena.
Caffeine level: None
Available as: Only an in-store drink at P110 (Tall) to P125 (Venti).
Teavana Handcrafted Beverages
These three new tea-based drinks are lightly sweetened with syrup, put in a shaker with ice and hand-shaken before serving. “This is tea reimagined,” Silva says. “It’s modern, very colorful, very innovative, handcrafted, and most of all, delicious.”
• Iced Shaken Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls – “Appearance plays a big role in the new handcrafted beverages,” notes Silva. Unlike the typical golden-yellow color of herbal teas, Hibiscus has that striking fuchsia-pink hue, and the bursting pearls, which contain real pomegranate juice high in antioxidants, complement the tart flavor. “Herbal teas do not have caffeine but this is a perfect way to boost your afternoon because it has a very bright tropical feel and flavor.”
• Iced Shaken Black Tea with Ruby Grapefruit and Honey – If you need an extra perk in the morning minus the coffee, this beverage is for you. Black teas typically taste oaky and malty but this one has a complementary sweetness from real pomelo (ruby grapefruit) bits, zest and honey. “If you’re not used to the boldness of black tea, this is a good way to enjoy the beverage because it balances the malty flavor with a lot of sweetness at the bottom,” Silva says. It’s also a good source of vitamins A, C, bioflavonoids and antioxidants.
• Matcha & Espresso Fusion – An innovative combination of coffee and tea, if you’re a fan of Starbucks’ green-tea lattes, this is a must-try. Fine matcha powder at the bottom is topped with milk, then given a shot of Starbucks’ famous espresso, resulting in a beautifully layered green, white and brown beverage.
“Go through all the layers to experience the flavors fully before stirring,” Silva advises. “The first hit of matcha has a very smoky, vegetative feel, then you go through the sweetness of the milk, and at the very end the caramel and roast flavors of the espresso really do bring the beverage together.”
Matcha green tea is also full of catechins, which are some of the most potent and beneficial antioxidants.
By introducing Teavana Starbucks hopes to not only nurture a love of tea among Filipinos, but elevate knowledge about it as well. “Starbucks aims to nurture the spirit one neighborhood, one person, one cup of coffee — and tea — at a time.”
