Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Drinking in the New Year at Starbucks


The coffee shop I hang out at has tea, now the mermaid is trying to save it's soul, or at least bottom line with more coffee alternatives. From Seattlepi.com:

Starbucks to introduce new tea-based drinks

Beverages billed as more healthful

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Starbucks Corp. said Tuesday that it will begin selling three new tea-based lattes and two nondairy tea drinks on Saturday as part of a push to offer customers choices that are more healthful.

The company said all but one of the new drinks contain less than 200 calories for a 12- ounce, or tall, serving.

The new lattes are made with steamed milk and Tazo full-leaf tea bags. The new varieties include the Black Tea Latte, the Vanilla Rooibos Latte and the London Fog latte. The company already sells chai tea and green tea lattes.

Starbucks also will introduce new Tazo Tea Infusions -- nondairy drinks made with Tazo black chai tea and fruit juice. The company will offer a Berry Chai Infusion, made with berry and black currant juices, and an Apple Chai Infusion, made with apple juice. That drink contains 250 calories, Starbucks said.

The latte drinks will be priced from $2.85 to $3.50 for a tall, depending on the location of the store. The infusions will sell for $2.40 to $2.70 for a tall.

"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," Michelle Gass, executive vice president of marketing and category, said in a statement.

Starbucks said the move was part of its recent effort to offer customers some more-healthful options. The company introduced more whole-grain, low-fat breakfast offerings earlier this year, including an instant oatmeal that has been popular.

Starbucks shares closed up 33 cents at $9.36 in Nasdaq trading Tuesday.

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