SEATTLE Adding to a growing lineup of more-healthful menu items, Starbucks is scheduled to introduce several new antioxidant-rich tea beverages in its more than 11,000 U.S. stores, starting Jan. 3.
While Starbucks has long had tea on the menu, the chain’s new Full Leaf Tazo Tea Lattes and Tazo Tea Infusions are the first to use full-leaf tea bags in stores, allowing customers to steep to their own taste preferences.
The hot tea lattes are made with Tazo tea and steamed milk, the latter offering a calcium boost. They are available in three flavors: Black Tea Latte; Vanilla Rooibos Latte, featuring a naturally caffeine-free South African herbal tea; and London Fog Latte, featuring a blend of black tea, bergamot, French lavender and vanilla. Recommended prices will vary between $2.85 and $3.50 for a tall.
The nondairy Tazo Tea Infusions, available hot or cold, include black chai tea steamed with fruit juices in Berry Chai Infusion and Apple Chai Infusion flavors. Recommended prices will range between $2.40 and $2.70 for a tall.
Starbucks is marketing the teas as offering a “healthful respite in today’s stressful environment.” All have fewer than 200 calories for a 12-ounce, or tall, serving, except the Apple Chai Infusion, which has 250.
The introduction follows Starbucks’ efforts to add more health-focused menu items, including the popular Perfect Oatmeal, several whole-grain and low-fat baked goods and the smoothie-like Vivanno Nourishing Blends.
“Tea has always been an integral part of Starbucks’ coffeehouse culture and winter is the perfect time to emphasize tea,” said Michelle Gass, Starbucks' executive vice president of marketing and category. “In fact, tea is the most consumed beverage around the world and represents one in 10 beverages consumed in our stores. The same way we transformed American coffee culture, we want to deliver an exceptional tea experience for customers with our new Tazo Tea Lattes and Tea Infusions.”
