If you walked into a Starbucks in January 2001, you might have seen this signage, encouraging you to enjoy a cup of tea!
“This is Tazo tea. Black teas to get you going in the morning. Green teas to pick you up in the afternoon. Herbal teas to relax with at the end of the day. Just pick a filterbag for the barista to brew.”
Starbucks still fully owns and operates Tazo tea, though Tazo has now become a brand that it primarily just found in grocery stores. A part of me still very much loves the teas that Tazo produced. I’m still sentimental about Tazo tea. In November 2012, Starbucks opened up one Tazo tea store in Seattle’s University Village shopping area. Less than one year later, Starbucks turned it into a Teavana tea bar.
I still have a couple of tins of Tazo tea from the Tazo tea store in University Village:
Also I still have a Tazo beverage menu and tea catalogue from the 2012 Tazo tea store. (Also shown is an old pin that Starbucks partners could earn for their aprons):
I was at the Gene Juarez salon in downtown Seattle recently and saw this Tazo tea set up. I want this box! Starbucks used to work to put Tazo tea into other businesses:
Somewhere at home, I believe I have a Tazo tea apron from the 2012 tea store. I may add that photo later.
And here’s a little more on Tazo: The original 1999 signage that was in Starbucks stores, shortly after Starbucks acquired Tazo tea. A little less than one year ago, the original founder of Tazo tea, Steve Smith, passed away at the age of 65. Steve Smith was a tea genius, having started and operated three successful tea companies: Stash tea, Tazo tea, and Smith Tea.
And that is quite the flashback to the era of Tazo tea at Starbucks! I know must have some readers here who are still sentimental about Tazo.
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Thank you for this wonderful information. I’ve been at Starbucks for six months now and can’t learn enough. Thanks again!
I still find myself ordering Awake when I want English breakfast tea. I miss Tazo!
Thank you for the walk down memory lane. I love TAZO Teas and still drink them. That box is a keeper and hard to find with logo inside!
I love the tazo earl grey filterbag…..sigh, can’t find it anywhere anymore. I’m so sad…
Yuki in Canada: try Save On Foods for Tazo Earl Grey. Found it there since I came to Canada (temporarily) a few months ago.
I really miss my Tazo Vanilla Rooibis tea. At Dtarbucks. Yes, I can get the teabags — at least while I am here in Canada — but not the same sipping it at home. BRING BACK TAZO!!
The hole world (without USA) has Tazo teas at Starbucks, so the fact that its “primary” found in grocery stores is not really true…. Love the article tho and love your work with the blog!
@Ida – Good point. International market Starbucks use Tazo (mostly) – I always think from the perspective right here in Seattle. I appreciate you catching that. I know there has been talk that eventually Tazo will be phased out of international markets. I think (not positive) in places like Starbucks Germany, they’re getting away from the Tazo branding and the teas are just “Starbucks Teas.”