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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As an herbal tea drinker, I’m not into the flavors that are offered now. I don’t like fruity teas and therefore, am only left with mint. Why get rid of Chamomile?
I, also, don’t need two teabags in one cup no matter what the size but am always told by the counter staff that they HAVE to serve it with two bags. The compromise is usually that they will put one in and give me the second bag to keep for later. How about just give me my tea the way I ask for it? I don’t need to carry around a teabag in my pocket. It’s become weird. I’ll usually search out another café if I can before going to $tarbuck$ for tea now.
the chai is terrible – and you’ve lost quite a few customers because you decided what we should have instead of allowing the customer to decide.
I’ve been wondering why the Chai Tea has been so weak. I honestly started thinking it was a medication or something. The weak sweet blend you have now is awful. What happened to the spicy burn? I got a Starbucks gift card this year but now that it’s used up I don’t think I will be ordering any more. Starbucks has lost a regular 10 yr customer.
I’m so glad I saw this post, CateK. I felt the same way. I thought it was me. I’m VERY disappointed in SB. I’m selling my stock and considering not going back.
The chai tea is awful! Very weak, very little flavor. Since I drink Chai only, Starbucks has lost my business. I would loved to hear the discussion on why to get rid of Tazo chai. Chai tea is such a different animal from regular brewed teas. I guarantee that they did not test Chai here in Atlanta. Everyone I ever spoke to about the Opra tea said it was awful. Which it is.
so sad.
PLEASE bring back Tazo chai tea!! I’ve been drinking Tazo chai for 10 years and this new chai is weak and flavorless!!! Being a non-coffee drinker, I may never go back! So sad!
I am so disappointed in Starbucks. The new teavanna chai is terrible. I will sorely miss my daily chai there unless they bring it back. Haven’t they ever heard the adage – If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it???
Non-coffee drinker, who loved and supported Classic Chai. I took chai back this morning thinking it was only milk… If this is future chai at Starbucks, they have lost my business. Sad day!
This old article has had an uptick of people commenting on it. I think one thing that might have happened is that some people are experiencing this Teavana chai test –
http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/10/06/the-teavana-custom-chai-tea-test/
^ Those stores don’t have “Classic Chai” anymore. If you are commenting about Teavana or Tazo Chai, please go here:
http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/10/06/the-teavana-custom-chai-tea-test/
I am so disappointed in Starbucks for changing their Chai Tea!! I have been a daily drinker of chai tea lattes for over 10 years. When I first got the new chai I thought they just made it wrong so I took it back!! It has absolutely no flavor!! I will not be going back unless they change back!
@Dina –
Please see this thread:
http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/10/06/the-teavana-custom-chai-tea-test/
There is a very large Chai tea test going on and I think lots of people are coming here related to that.
Please do not reply in this thread if your comment is about a Chai Latte – There’s a large test going on:
http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/10/06/the-teavana-custom-chai-tea-test/
^ Go to that article please!
Was very disappointed to see that you no longer use Tazo Earl Grey tea. Have tried so many others and it is the best. They keep changing things and they are not for the best.
^Pam I agree!!! I’m heartbroken that Starbucks has switched to Teavana. Just had the earl grey the other day and it’s no where near the gorgeous blend of lavender and bergamot that the Tazo provided. Sounds like they may be losing a lot of tea drinkers.
Went in today to get my favourite amazing cup of chamomile tea only to be offered some peachy substitute. They even tried to sell it to me as ‘as close to chamomile as they have’. Really disappointed, and have no reason to go back to starbucks now. If you’re going to switch, at least make sure you have the classic flavours with natural ingredients.. then you can pad it with the peachy soda pop teas.
I join the chorus of those who are utterly disappointed that Starbucks stopped using Tazo chai. That was my daily drink for years, not coffee, so I guess I’ll save a lot of money. I’m done with Starbucks. Too bad.
I was never a fan of the chai latte, but LOVED tazo chai brewed tea. The Oprah business is pre-sweetened (!) and insipid. Please please bring back proper chai tea! PLEASE!
Also, how in heavens name to you take out chamomile?
Please do not use this article to write about chai –
http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/10/06/the-teavana-custom-chai-tea-test/
I think a lot of people are experiencing the Teavana chai test. It’s a big test. Please comment on the chai article. Thanks!
I agree with everyone, the new chai is terrible
I just had a grande green tea with two tea bags. Unnecessary. One bag is all I need. It immediately tasted bitter and grassy. I thought they screwed up the tea bag or I over steeped. NOPE. It’s just terrible tea. I can’t drink coffee anymore, so this is a disappointment.
The Teavana chai tea (“custom” or “oprah”) is pretty comparable to mop water. I’ll be bringing in my own box of Tazo tea (available on Amazon!) and just asking for steamed milk– because this Starbucks addict cannot quit the place altogether.
I had been drinking Tazo Zen loose leaf green tea for many years when Starbucks pulled it. The new teas cannot compare to Tazo Zen. I’m not the only one complaining. Too bad Starbucks doesn’t care.
I’ve been complaining to Starbucks about the Chai Tea for a few months now. It’s just this past week that they let me know the “Custom Chai” is the only thing available. It tastes like warm milk and dish soap! Who on earth would pay $5+ for this crap??? And the Oprah teas are disappointing as well. If so many of us liked the Tazo teas, why would SB change it? Very Bad move.
The black iced tea also tastes weak, we used to go every day..now that we rarely go.
none of the teavana teas work for me started going somewhere else.
Bring back tazo tea! Teavana is terrible ! No comparison!
Where was this tea tested? Who was the people that thought it tasted good? Flavor so weak! Tried all available flavors! All nasty!
Now I go elsewhere and by tazo!
Dang i totally dislike the chai! Gas Station chai is better. The only good thing is the money i am saving by not going to Starbucks anymore its a bummer!,
To all: This is not the news story about the Teavana chai – See above also. If you don’t like the new Teavana Custom Chai, you probably will be interested in one of these two news stories:
http://www.teavanamelody.com/blog/2016/2/20/update-on-the-teavana-custom-chai-latte-test
or
http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/10/06/the-teavana-custom-chai-tea-test/
Uh, how about just don’t go to SB if they don’t have what you want. I find many of the brands/flavored teas in discount stores – Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, etc. and it costs way less. I’m not a fan of Chai, but Tazo Chai and others are always on the shelf. Search around. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find!
PLEASE PLEASE, bring back the old Chai.
Um – Teavana Chai. The worst. I’ve stopped going to Starbucks almost all together because doctoring the new chai formula isn’t working. I’m willing to pay $4.88 per day for a grande cup of goodness, NOT a crap cup of teavana chai.
Bring back the Tazo Chai! The new one is horrible…
To all: Please stop commenting in this thread if you are writing about Tazo Chai versus Teavana Chai. I realize that for some reason, Google ships lots of people to this thread. Please comment on the Chai in one of the StarbucksMelody CHAI articles:
http://starbucksmelody.com/2016/02/25/update-teavana-custom-chai-latte-test/
http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/10/06/the-teavana-custom-chai-tea-test/
I couldn’t agree more with the “disappointed” public. I too got a gift card for starbucks because for the last ten plus years I was an avid Tazo chai latte drinker but this new blend by Teavana is all washed out with very little flavor. I will not be wasting any of my money on this and since I am not a coffee drinker – once this card is used up on non drink items – I will make sure everyone that knows me – knows not to bother with a Starbucks card. Please reconsider and bring back Tazo’s Chai Latte.
I thought Starbucks owned Teavana and Tazo, did they sell Tazo? I just had a venti soy earl grey latte at Starbucks and I thought it was stronger and more flavorful than the Tazo Earl grey but not sure as I hadn’t ordered this in a long time and the Teavana tea sachets seem to be much larger so that could account for the difference.
PLEASE bring back TAZO AWAKE TEA SACHETS….NOT THE SAME!!!
My wife is really disapointed with her Chai Tea Latte! She told me to post a complaint. Sounds like she’s got company.
Last week went to Starbucks for a Tazo black tea my usual. Took a sip it tasted strange and then noticed the Teavana name. It was awful!! Over the years, I’ve switched to only Tazo teas at home because I so enjoyed the teas in Starbucks!! Looks like they have lost a customer I’m not going back ….
The new chai tea is APPALLING, insipid, too sweet, and tastes like mocha. No clean flabours, no spice, and leaves a furry after taste that is greasy and fatty.