14 DAY TRIAL // Starbucks, the most notorious brand of coffee shop in the world, has announced it is partnering with Oprah Winfrey, one of the most notorious TV personalities in the world, to bring out a new tea line that is going to be called the Teavana Oprah Chai Tea.
Oprah is no stranger to new business venues, as she's already a media mogul with her own magazine, her television network and now, a contract with Starbucks. During the company's annual meeting in Seattle on Wednesday, March 19, Oprah came on stage and made the announcement with her usual enthusiasm, according to the LA Times.
The tea line is said to have been developed by the media mogul and Teavana tea expert Naoko Tsunoda, and it features all of Oprah's favorite fragrances, including cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves.
Oprah confesses, “I love tea. My daily tea ritual is a vital part of my morning. Savory and spicy chai, with its deep flavor, has long been a favorite of mine. When Howard Schultz offered to have me come into the Starbucks tasting room and create my very own tea blend, I thought that sounded like such a unique opportunity and fun to the tenth power.”
She then went on to recognize the great influence that Starbucks had on people's lives when she admitted, “Starbucks is not just a coffee company... it's about nurturing the human spirit. I've been asked to do a lot of things - a clothing line, a perfume line, a car line - none of that felt organic. This felt like something fun to do.”
The coffeehouse company is also pretty excited about the collaboration, as Howards Schultz, the CEO for the company, went on the record promising, “With the introduction of Teavana Oprah Chai, we are going to elevate the tea experience in the same way we did for coffee.”
The new tea line will become available in Starbucks and Teavana stores starting April 29. The added bonus is that Starbucks will be making a donation for each product sold to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation that provides educational opportunities to youths.
According to the companies involved, the teas will be sold as lattes or as loose-leaf tea formats in branded shops in the US and Canada. Further information about exact pricing and availability will be announced in the following weeks, prior to the official release date.