On January 6, 2015, you’ll find Teavana teas for your hot tea options at Starbucks. Tazo is being completely phased out. You might even find Teavana sachets in stores now as your neighborhood store’s supply of Tazo teas is depleted. More than one year ago, Starbucks began testing Teavana hot teas inside selected stores in Atlanta. And in March this year, Starbucks transitioned to Teavana iced teas. In September this year, Starbucks began selling Teavana loose leaf tea inside their stores. Under MyStarbucksRewards, you earn a star for every transaction at Teavana (when paid with a registered Starbucks card) and you can register a Teavana card and use it as your Starbucks card. (The Evolution Fresh card and Teavana cards are both Starbucks cards).
So it is no surprise that soon, when you’re ordering a hot tea at Starbucks, you’ll get a Teavana tea sachet. There will be at least ten tea options: (In no particular order)
- Pineapple Kona Pop (herbal tea)
- Jade Citrus Mint (Green tea)
- Earl Grey (Black tea)
- Oprah Chai (Black tea)
- Mint Majesty (herbal tea)
- Emperor’s Clouds & Mist (green tea)
- Youthberry (white tea)
- Royal English Breakfast (black tea)
- Passion Tango (herbal tea)
Have you tried any of these teas? What do you think about the switch? The choices look pretty delightful. I personally normally order coffee over tea (for hot beverages) but I have tried almost every one of the above listed teas. And Youthberry is delicious iced! I’ve heard that iced Youthberry with Starbucks lemonade is delicious – and for areas of the country that have Fizzio, try it fizzed!
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The Venti teas went up from $2.99 to $4.63 at my local store today. That’s a ridiculous price increase and an insult to all of the people who frequent Starbucks for tea. To make it worse, the Teavana teas are significantly weaker than the Tazo teas.
I have been trying to follow @DadCook’s example and bite my tongue on this topic, but I have to ask:
Now that they are charging such super-premium prices with their “elevated” offering, is Starbucks finally going to brew the different teas at the appropriate temperatures, or are they sticking with inferior one temperature fits all?
By way of example, the Tazo range rated ~175 degrees as the optimal temperature to brew green teas and ~210 for chai/black teas. But Starbucks always just poured from the same hot water spigot. Is that going to change?
@MistoGirl, great points on additives – I completely agree, it should be an optional add-on; especially given the Transformational Agenda push to get away from preservatives and artificial ingredients.
@CD Thanks. I understand Melody’s point that those things are in almost everything. And I do expect them when I get a syrup or inclusions and so on. But that’s partly why I usually do unflavored espresso drinks and brewed coffee with only milk. I had sort of hoped that a “less is more” attitude toward ingredients would become more prevalent after La Boulange was marketed partly based on its minimal ingredients…but I guess you win some, you lose some.
As far as I’m concerned, Starbucks is only paying lip service to hot tea drinkers. Proper tea brewing requires different levels of temperature, all from a fresh water source, not water that’s been on the boil for hours. One may as well put it in a microwave for what it’s worth. It’s a shame, though. I really wanted to embrace Teavana, but even in it’s loose-leaf form, it is a weak, over-priced option. I guess I can’t complain; we’re talking about a coffee company that relies on coffee drinkers. It would seem tea is only being offered as an afterthought.
I just tried the new Tevana Tea at Starbucks (Pinapple Kona Pop) and SO much better than Tazo!
I’ve gotten a Tazo earl grey almost every weekend day from my local Starbucks for years. Yesterday I was given a complimentary teavana earl grey, because they officially phased out tazo. The tevana is an inferior product, I did not like it. Even ‘expired’ tazo is better than ‘fresh’ teavana. I would not accept another free teavana drink. Starbucks has made a terrible decision. They have lost a long-term loyal customer. Fortunately, I’ve spent the last 2 months buying up stock of tazo full leaf earl grey tea and I have enough to last me at least 9-months.
I have to say I’m not a tea expert or even a long-time tea drinker but I really like the Teavana teas. My one problem is that since the switchover I still have not gotten to try the earl grey! Apparently somebody’s drinking the new tea because every time I try to get an earl grey latte they’re out and I’m offered English breakfast. I had never had it before. It’s an okay substitute, much more get up and go than soothing, but it’s doable. In my case, living in SoCal the bigger issue is not tea quality but the barista making it. Some have absolutely no clue and have to be told. I had one latte handed to me where they had broken the bag open and it had loose tea bits floating in it. I have also tried the Pineapple Kona Pop iced and it is my go-to iced drink as I really dislike iced coffees and frapps. No herby or floral aftertaste I was dreading. Really good strong pineapple flavor as long as the barista knows how to make it.
LMNOP – I have no idea where you live but we have had no price increase on the tea where I go. A venti iced tea w/ sweetner is 2.65. I agree that new price of over $4 is outrageous. I don’t know how Starbucks works but I thought stores all charged the same price around the country.
Melody – hoping for a post on the new flat whites. I tried one and it’s very heavy. I could taste the separate flavors of whole milk and espresso and did not like it at all. I wondered why you can only get a tall but then I had one and realized why you wouldn’t want any size bigger. If I do coffee at Starbucks I’ll stick to a vanilla latte but I’m very happy with the new tea. Now if I can only get my hands on that earl grey!
I have tried the Emperor’s Cloud & Mist and Jade Citrus Mint teas so far, and I actually enjoyed both of them. I am still appalled by the artificial flavours, though.
One tea I would LOVE to see added to the menu is the Jasmine Dragon Pearls; that is a truly great green tea that even Teavana wouldn’t dare inundate with artificial stuff.
Secondly, I wish Starbucks would be kinder to tea drinkers, by correctly steeping (at the right water temp. and for the proper amount of time for each type of tea) the teas before serving them to customers. This would be great for drive-thru customers, who currently have no other responsible way of removing and disposing their tea bags whilst on the road.
@Ryan Carteret
As somebody who works at Starbucks right now…we’re not a tea house. It’s Starbucks Coffee. We make coffee drinks as our specialty and tea is just a secondary thing. Personally, it would be impossible to steep/brew/pour tea 100% correctly for each customer every single time they wanted a cup. There is hardly enough room in the store as it is, making a full-fledged tea brewing station would be impossible. Also, there are not enough customers who drink tea for it to be a necessity.
Evelyn – Apparently that price was a mistake the first day it was changed in the system. The new price for a Venti tea is $3.54 at my store. I’m in midtown Manhattan, so it’s probably higher here than other parts of the country.
We’ve had the Teavana teas for awhile now here in Atlanta so this change (for me) happened awhile ago. I don’t usually get tea, but if I do it’s chai, and I like the Oprah chai. I just wish it was available for purchase in the tea sachets and not just loose leaf. I like to keep a box in my desk at work and it’s a pain (and messy) to deal with the loose leaf.
That being said, I was in a Starbucks in Kentucky last weekend and ordered a grande Oprah chai tea. The barista didn’t open the teabags and put them in the hot water – she just handed me two tea bag packets. Well, the one packet had 2 teabags in and the other packet had 1 teabag in, so I used the 2 for my tea and kept the 1 for later at home. If the sachets are what’s given when you order a hot tea in the store, I don’t see why they can’t sell them in boxes for purchase.
I buy a black tea misto with soy. I hate the taste of Royal English Breakfast. It is unlike any other black tea I have had. I will make my own tea at home, and when I travel I will need to bring my own black tea to use with hot water and soy milk from Starbucks.
The Cloud&Mist Green Tea is considerably weaker than the Tazos China Green Tip, well thanks Starbucks, now I have absolutely zero reason to be your customer.
I tend to feel the same way as you Melody – I miss some Tazo teas, and not others, and like some of the new teas, and not others. Like any transition, there will be some die-hard fans of the old that will not accept the new – ex. frappuccinos, recipe changes, food – some that will accept, and then there are people that weren’t fans of the old that will accept, and even embrace the new. If the gains outweigh the losses, the business wins.
I do not have mixed feelings about *how* the transition happened though. *sigh* As a partner, and a customer who liked the old tea, I was NOT impressed. Here’s hoping some lessons were learned!
Miss the Tazo chai. Not too keen on the Oprah version. Sorry Starbucks.
I’ve dealt with Teavana, the company, over Christmas presents this year and have not had good experiences with their customer support. When I heard that they were bought out by Starbucks, I was surprised. I guess I assumed that Starbucks knew how to satisfy their customers.
Found out this weekend that Starbucks no longer serves Tazo. I tried the Teavana and was extremely dissatisfied. It tasted like muddy hot water. You just lost a customer, Starbucks.
Starbucks switch from Tazo Teas to Teavana Tea makes me very sad. I drink tea a lot. My apt. In NY City has 3 Starbucks within 3 blocks and I enjoyed my morning walk to pick up my Venti Awake Tea. I tried Teavana (really, Starbucks, a Shopping Mall Tea Store?!?) Royal English Breakfast twice and found it dreadful—no taste, weak, why bother? So I threw it out and am brewing tea at home. Starbucks lost a customer. Maybe I’ll try Dunkin Donuts Tea. Based on some of the comments above, Starbucks doesn’t care about tea drinkers. You’ve made that very obvious.
Disappointingly surprised by Chai tea (straight, no latte) order last week (expected my usual grande Tazo Chai). Teavana flavors inferior in several areas, esp the Chai. Teavana version is one big cinnamon stick. Chai should be a rich blend of spices – plural. Used to order 2-4 Tazo Chai teas/wk at Starbucks. Guess I will save that money going forward. Two thumbs down!
Reply to Sarah Burton: Agree. I’ve enjoyed teas around the world (UK, Russia, etc). Across the board disappointed in Teavana offerings. Flavor blends do not rise to others I’ve found elsewhere – at lower costs.
I have to say I really do miss the Tazo Chai (I don’t order sweetened products, so I’m referring to the brewed tea not the latte). I went to Starbucks twice this weekend and ordered the brewed chai tea, which is known as Oprah Chai. I agree it tastes like a cinnamon drink instead of chai.
To pour salt into the wound caused by an inferior beverage, I noticed the brewed Oprah chai tea actually costs $.30 more than any other brewed teas on the menu. And before anyone gets all “it includes a donation to charity” happy on this comment, the “donation” is $.25 which is less than the surplus charge. I gotta admit, it does not feel like much of a donation if it comes by way of extracting a higher cost.
Product(red) products (apple’s ipod, etc.) do not cost extra and they manage to make charitable donations, why can’t Starbucks?
You guys realize that Teavana itself has over 96 different types of Teas? If you want flavorful or strong teas, just visit the actual shop ..
Teavana, that is not the point. Customers likes getting their certain Tazo tea at Starbucks for varying reasons and now they are replaced by inferior versions by Teavana. Maybe people don’t want to visit the Teavana store and want to continue to visit their favorite Starbucks for lots of reasons. Plus many people might not have a Teavana located nearby. I only have one in my area and it is inside an inconvenient and unsafe shopping mall 30 minutes away while I know my whole Starbucks crew and it is only 10 minutes away. Plus it has a drivethru.
Teavana
Who cares if you have 96 different flavors of tea? Maybe you do and your ‘satisfied converts’ care but dissatisfied Tazo drinkers can’t stand your inferior brand of colored hot water. Starbucks made a huge mistake switching to Teavana. Yeah I’ll be switching to something other than Teavana when my personal stash of Tazo Earl Grey runs out but it’ll be Harney & Sons, Republic of Tea or Mariage Freres that get’s my business.
Teavana tea is noticeably weaker than Tazo tea, and therefore the switch has been a huge disappointment. I will also have to bring a bag of Tazo with me if I continue to visit Starbucks in NYC as I do about 100 times a year. The TEavana english breakfast is almost flavorless and probably weak in caffeine.
Starbucks, I know you own them, but Please don’t take TAZO off the market in regular stores.
We used to look forward to having a Tazo Awake, and the Teavana doesn’t hold a candle to it. Plus the price increase is incredible for this inferior product. You lost us.
Have tried both the latte and the steeped Teavana chai and they are awful.
Since the switch, I’ve stopped going to Starbucks. I have other options and thankfully, I can still get my hands on Tazo brand tea bags.
My local Starbucks just switched to Oprah’s Chai tea for their lattes. I was hopeful upon tying it, but I hated it, very weak. So I do not drink coffee so I am done with Starbucks. The girls that worked there have said that most of their loyal chai tea latte customers hate the new one too. Hopefully the new one will bomb and maybe they will bring back the old one? I know, probably won’t happen.
I just bought 5 cartons of the extra concentrated chai syrup used in stores (as opposed to retail chai concentrate) on eBay. From what I understand, after this, it is the end for tazo chai tea lattés for me and thus Starbucks. 2003-2015. RIP.
The Tazo chai latte has been re-branded to the Classic Chai. There has been no recipe switch, there is no changeover to Teavana – it has merely been de-branded as it were. It is possible that a particular store you were at ran out of the classic chai, just as it is possible we run out of other things but it would have been a temporary outage. Don’t worry – it’s not going anywhere!
That is not what the manager of my regular store tells me, the DM, the response to the letter I wrote to Tazo about it, and my various visits to different stores to chase the last drops of Tazo chai highly concentrated. If you give me an address, I can forward the letter from Tazo.
Tazo Teas’ response to my query to “Contact Us”
Recently Starbucks has transitioned to Teavana Teas in stores, and Tazo teas are now only available in grocery stores and online retailers. The Tazo concentrate used in Starbucks stores is no longer available. I apologize for any disappointment this change may have caused…
Sincerely,
Veronica M
Tea Enthusiast Advisor
What they’re saying is sort of true – it is no longer produced by Tazo, so the original concoction, produced by them and shipped to stores is not in the store, and never will be again. And that’s probably all a Tazo spokesperson would know.
But, way before we transitioned to Teavana, the Tazo Chai concentrate changed to the Classic Chai. The ingredients are the same, the only difference is the name (and I suppose who makes it…) This transition happened months ago, and there is no plan to switch it again. If you have been drinking chai lattes for the last few months happily (and not the Oprah one :)), then the drink you love is not changing, and not going anywhere. It’s just not Tazo anymore.
Perhaps your DM/SM were misunderstanding the question? Or are misinformed altogether. Or maybe you’re in a market that’s testing deleting the Classic Chai? But, given how many my store sells, I seriously doubt that last one…
Here is what the QASA person told me: A few months ago, Starbucks rebranded Tazo Chai concentrate to Classic Chai. In the past month or so, Teavana started to make the Classic Chai concentrate as Tazo is being phased out of all stores, and that Teavana’s Classic Chai is in fact a different recipe than Tazo’s Classic recipe. She regrets that they didn’t make the recipes closer.
When I wrote the above letter to Tazo, my return letter from Starbucks. If the recipes used to make “Tazo Classic Chai” and “Teavana Classic Chai” were exactly the same, why didn’t Veronica M simply say: “Don’t worry, nothing but packaging has changed. You can have the same chai in store that you’ve always had.”
Teavana teas have artificial flavors and added sweeteners. Goodbye, Starbucks.
Starbucks used to make the strongest cup of Earl Grey on the planet. I love coffee but am not able to drink it for medical reasons. l never felt deprived when out with my friends or traveling if there was a Starbucks around because their tea was so good. Tons of flavor and caffeine! Now it’s way too weak for me. Those Tazo tea bags were huge!!
Any idea if Starbucks gold card will get you free refills on teavana tea too? (i.e. new tea bag)
Yes, you can get free refills on hot tea, with a new tea bag each time, as long as it’s not a tea latte.
Teavana Oprah Chai hot tea is awful. Too sweet and too much cinnamon. My Barista gave me a complementary Teavana Oprah Chai hot tea because I said I would give the Teavana one more try. Drank about 4 sips and finally tossed it. Terrible! Done with Starbucks.
I used to get the Tazo Awake tea on a regular basis at Starbucks so when they stopped using Tazo I was not happy. However, I recently tried both the Youthberry and Passion Tango Teavana teas at Starbucks and they’re amazing! #newfavorites 🙂
I have always loved the Tazo China Green Tips but have not been to my Starbucks in a couple of months since I started to make it at home. There was significant flooding in my area of Texas this weekend and out electricity was out all night and this morning. I was looking forward to getting my Tazo tea on the way to work since I couldn’t make it at home. I was told that Starbucks is now using the Teavana and after having tasted the Oprah Chai (absolutely disgusting), I was wary about trying the Teavana green tea. It wasn’t as awful as the Oprah Chai, but it is definitely not as good as the Tazo. Definitely not as strong. Tasted watered down. Last time I buy any tea from Starbucks.
B. Brantley;
Starbucks management made a dumb decision to switch to an inferior brand of tea. I don’t care for green tea myself but I can tell you that teavana’s Earl Grey has no taste. I bet some Texas flood water right out of the gutter would taste better than teavana’s earl grey does.
I have now tried the following Teavana’s offerings:
Chai – one note cinnamon. Did not enjoy.
White tea – poisonously artificially flavoured. Dumped it out after a few sips.
‘Royal’ English Breakfast tea – weak, was that oolong muddying it up?
Count me as another person done with Starbucks Tea.
No Rooibos type tea – astonished they ditched that. Instead artificially flavored herbal teas at a higher price.
Fine teas with artificial flavoring? I like the jade citrus mint.
Everything else I tried is too foo-foo – definitely a step backwards for them IMO.
Loved the Tazo teas!
Much to my dismay, I returned from living overseas to find that Starbucks replaced my favorite, the Tazo earl grey tea in the tea latte with Tevannas earl grey. I wasn’t told, I just noticed something tasted off and I looked at the tag and got a surprise, it was Tevanna, no wonder I didn’t enjoy it. While I do enjoy some of tevannas that are made with proper water temp and rock sugar, I am greatly dissapointment in the selection Starbucks carries, tea with artificial flavors, I mean really? C’mon! Now that Tazo is out I really have no reason to visit Starbucks anymore. So long Starbucks!!
I agree, Opra’s Chai tea and the Teavana Chai are awful!! Never buying them again from Starbucks.
Tazo chai was great.
I tried the earl grey. Watery and weak.
No more Starbucks for me. The Teavana teas are weak and not very robust(since I like an English Breakfast Tea).