What is Tazo Tea?
Tazo Tea is an American tea brand owned by The Unilever Group. The brand was founded by Fraser William C Howe and Stephen Henry Blumberg in 1994 and acquired by Starbucks in 1999. Tazo produces high quality, specialty teas that range from caffeinated teas to naturally caffeine-free herbal teas.
History of Tazo Tea
Tazo began as a small entrepreneurial venture, passionate about high quality teas. The team of Fraser and Stephen sold handmade teas out of their van and eventually opened their first brick and mortar shop in Portland, Oregon in 1994. Their tea were so popular that Starbucks bought the company and made it the top-selling specialty tea brand in 1998.
Who Owns Tazo Tea?
In November 2019, it was announced that The Unilever Group had purchased the Tazo Tea brand from Starbucks for $384 million. As part of the purchase, Starbucks also relinquished its ownership of the Tazo tea production facilities in Seville, Spain. The Unilever Group is a multinational corporation which owns many of the world’s leading brands that span the food and beverage markets, including Lipton, Dove, and Axe.
What Does This Acquisition Mean?
The acquisition of the Tazo Tea brand by The Unilever Group has allowed the brand to expand its product line, introducing more flavors and blends of teas, as well as other non-tea products such as coffee, gels, and creams. It also allows for more investment and growth of the brand. The new ownership also offers a wider distribution for Tazo products, since Unilever has a large global presence and a variety of retail outlets.
What is the Future of Tazo Tea?
The Unilever group is committed to continue their commitment to high quality tea and their dedication to innovation. Tazo Tea will remain focused on offering specialty flavors and unique blends as well as continuing to produce its classic line of products. The Unilever Group is also committed to expanding the brand into new markets and introducing new products.
Conclusion
Tazo is an iconic American tea brand that has achieved consistent quality and success. With the new ownership of the Unilever Group, Tazo is positioned to take their product to new heights and capture a larger market share. The brand is well-known for its specialty teas and blends and the Unilever Group is determined to keep that success going.
