Starbucks and Anheuser-Busch to Launch Teavana Ready-to-Drink Tea

Anheuser-Busch and Starbucks revealed they are working together to produce, bottle, distribute and market the first Teavana ready-to-drink (RTD) non-alcoholic tea in the U.S., with a product launch expected in the first half of 2017.

The new RTD product line will integrate the nature and flavors drawn from Starbucks and Teavana’s retail favorites to offer consumers premium layered flavors, company officials say. 

“This arrangement will bring together the strengths of two great companies, each with a long history of successful brand-building,” says Carlos Brito, chief executive officer of Anheuser-Busch InBev. “Starbucks’ expertise and leadership in premium tea, combined with our world-class production capabilities and strong U.S. distribution footprint, will position this new product well in what is an exciting and growing category. We are delighted to be in a position to offer this great product to our wholesalers and believe, with their support, we are ideally structured to maximize the sales opportunity for Teavana RTD tea across the U.S.”

Starbucks retail stores nationwide serve premium, handcrafted Teavana brewed and iced teas, which is a high growth category at Starbucks. Within the past year, U.S. Starbucks locations have sold more than $1 billion of handcrafted Teavana tea beverages, representing 11 percent growth in year-over-year sales, company officials say. 

 “Tea has been an important part of Starbucks heritage since we opened our doors as Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spices in the Pike Place Market in 1971,” says Howard Schultz, chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks. “When we acquired Teavana in 2012, we saw a unique opportunity to do for tea what Starbucks has done for coffee and expand the Teavana brand across many customer experiences and products. We are excited to work with Anheuser-Busch to unlock the premium ready-to-drink market and further grow demand for the Teavana brand.”