Starbucks and Anheuser-Busch to Launch Teavana Ready-to-Drink Tea in U.S. in 2017
Anheuser-Busch and Starbucks announced that they are working together to produce, bottle, distribute and market the first Teavana Ready-to-Drink (RTD) tea in the U.S., with an anticipated product launch in the first half of 2017.
Starbucks will contribute Teavana’s tea expertise, industry-leading retail activation, and consumer engagement capabilities, and Anheuser-Busch will lead production, bottling and distribution to retailers nationwide in partnership with its long-standing and well-established network of wholesalers.
Starbucks and Anheuser-Busch plan to introduce new Teavana RTD non-alcohol premium tea beverages across U.S. channels. The new RTD product line will integrate the handcrafted nature and flavours drawn from Starbucks and Teavana’s retail favorites to offer consumers premium layered flavours. 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.
“This arrangement will bring together the strengths of two great companies, each with a long history of successful brand-building,” said Carlos Brito, chief executive officer, 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.”
Philip Mullin, chairman of the Anheuser-Busch Wholesaler Advisory Panel, added: “Throughout Anheuser-Busch’s history, wholesalers have played a crucial role in the introduction of new products to the market. This arrangement with Starbucks comes at a very exciting time given the considerable growth in the premium RTD tea category, and I expect this news will energize wholesalers throughout our network.”
According to the Tea Association of the U.S., 80 percent of tea consumed in America is iced tea and tea overall has a global category size of $125 billion, with Americans drinking 800 million cups of tea per week. This relationship positions Starbucks and Anheuser-Busch to claim market share in the more than $1 billion premium RTD tea category.
Following the announcement, Anheuser-Busch and Starbucks expect to finalize definitive agreements by the second half of calendar year 2016.
