Starbucks and Oprah Winfrey have co-created Teavana Oprah Chai Tea, which will be available beginning April 29 at Starbucks and Teavana stores in the United States and Canada.
As part of the collaboration, for each product sold, Starbucks will make a donation to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation to benefit educational opportunities for youth.
“With the introduction of Teavana Oprah Chai, we are going to elevate the tea experience in the same way we did for coffee,” said Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. “Partnering with Oprah Winfrey in the creation of this distinctive and remarkable tea is a strong next step forward in accomplishing this objective, while also giving back in a meaningful way.”
Winfrey personally developed the tea with Teavana’s leading teaologist, Naoko Tsunoda. The distinctive blend of tea – featuring a bold infusion of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves blended with loose-leaf black tea and rooibos – will be made available in handcrafted latte and loose-leaf tea formats.
“I love tea,” Winfrey said. “My daily tea ritual is a vital part of my morning. Savory and spicy chai, with its deep flavor, has long been a favorite of mine. When Howard Schultz offered to have me come into the Starbucks tasting room and create my very own tea blend, I thought that sounded like such a unique opportunity and fun to the 10th power. To share one of my favorite things with the rest of the world and support youth education at the same time is truly the perfect blend.”
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.
Tea has been a part of Starbucks’ heritage since 1971, when the company was founded as Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spices. In 2012, Starbucks acquired the Teavana chain and has taken steps to integrate Teavana teas into its Starbucks stores.
Customers will soon experience a variety of Teavana products at Starbucks, including handcrafted drinks, loose-leaf teas and tea merchandise. The company also recently launched a new store concept called Teavana Fine Tea + Tea Bars in Seattle and New York. The new tea bars feature a carefully curated assortment of handcrafted tea beverages, premium loose-leaf teas, tea-inspired food offerings and tea merchandise.
Starbucks recently announced plans to open additional Teavana Fine Tea + Tea Bars in Chicago and Los Angeles, and additional stores in New York City later this year. The Tea Bars will also feature Teavana Oprah Chai.
