HONG KONG – Starbucks Coffee Company announced yesterday the introduction of Starbucks Teavana as a core offering in more than 6,200 stores across its 16 markets in the China and Asia Pacific region.
A new brand for Starbucks in Asia, Starbucks® Teavana™ Handcrafted Beverages and Full Leaf Tea Sachets are now available for the first time giving customers across Asia the opportunity to enjoy a range of unique iced and hot tea beverages with bold, layered flavors, handcrafted the way only Starbucks can.
“The launch of Starbucks® Teavana™ in China and Asia Pacific brings an entirely new and modern tea experience specifically developed for our customers, who increasingly want new and different tastes and experiences,” said John Culver, group president, Starbucks Global Retail.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to leverage the company’s expertise in creating best-in-class retail experiences, handcrafting customized beverages, and sourcing the finest ingredients, to become a leader in a new category for us. Just as we’ve done for coffee, this is tea reimagined at Starbucks.”
Tea is a $125 billion global category and is the second most consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. The launch of Starbucks® Teavana™ is the first time Starbucks has launched a brand on this scale since 2008 with the launch of Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew, and represents an important growth opportunity for the business.
In 2015, Starbucks tea business in the U.S. grew by 12 percent with all tea categories posting strong growth, led by iced tea at 29 percent. Building on this and the success of Teavana™ to date in other parts of the world, Starbucks aims to increase its global tea business to $3 billion over the next five years.
Fueled by innovation, Starbucks® Teavana™ handcrafted beverages include Matcha & Espresso Fusion, Black Tea with Ruby Grapefruit and Honey, Iced Shaken Green Tea with Aloe and Prickly Pear and Iced Shaken Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls, which may vary by market.
With Starbucks® Teavana™, Starbucks also draws on its long heritage of commitment to using only the most premium, high-quality ingredients.
Leveraging deep relationships with tea growers, Teavana sources the world’s highest-quality teas and botanicals. Starbucks sourcing and blending experts cup (taste) hundreds of teas daily to select only the finest teas for Starbucks® Teavana™.
Teavana continues to be a strategic priority for Starbucks. Starbucks acquired Teavana Holdings, Inc. in December 2012, and together provide unparalleled expertise in the super premium tea category, bringing exotic blends, great flavors, wellness and innovation to customers globally.
Starbucks® Teavana™ will be available in stores across all its markets in the China and Asia Pacific region: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
