Customer : TAZO

Happy Birthday MSI!

sbx_bean — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:29:00 GMT

My Starbucks Idea celebrates its one year anniversary today. You have shared over 70,000 ideas. In the first year 94 ideas have been put into action and 25 of those have launched including – Instant Coffee, Venti Travel Cup, and Bring Back Tea Lattes. Your ideas have inspired us to think of relevant and creative ways to enhance our Rewards programs - including free Wi-Fi and a birthday beverage.

Since we launched 12 months ago the site has added some new features like the ability to vote down an idea and consolidate repeat ideas - ideas that you submitted early on.

Currently there are 56 ideas under review and 10 are coming soon. Look for launch announcements later this spring. Some exciting things are on the way in the Starbucks Card, Food, and Other Experience Ideas categories.

MSI is about a community collaborating and telling us which ideas are important to you. Thanks for keeping the community vibrant and ideas brewing. Keep the ideas coming. What idea should we launch next? Tell us. It could happen.

Full Leaf Tea Now @ StarbucksStore.com

Steven Epstein — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:32:00 GMT

Some of you have shared ideas regarding the retail sale of full leaf tea. I thought you would like to know that the Starbucks Store online now offers some terrific full leaf loose teas. I am very excited about this offering! Each tea is packed in a 175G or 250G bag (roughly 1/3 lb. or ½ lb.). This is a large quantity - about 50 or so cups worth if brewed strong.

The teas include existing popular favorites available in Tazo® tea bags such as Awake™, China Green Tips, Earl Grey, Calm™, Darjeeling, and Refresh™.

Other teas available include Mambo™ (tropical), Silver Needle, Orange Blossom Green, Jasmine Pearl (my favorite), Gen Mai Cha (sometimes offered in sushi restaurants), English Breakfast, Earl Grey Lavender, Dragonwell Lung Ching, Calm-Chamomile Rose, Vanilla Rooibos (available as a tea latte in winter 2009), and Ti Kwan Yin (an incredible Oolong).

Don’t delay your purchase of these wonderful teas as quantities are limited.

Offer WHOLE leaf tea
posted by WhataTeas

Loose leaf Teas
posted by tdrnkrjd

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES AT TAZO

Keith Hutjens — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:57:00 GMT

Many ideas on MSI are about recycling and Starbucks environmental footprint. Recycling bins in all our stores is a top idea that we are working towards, but it is going to take some time. In the meantime, we would like to highlight the progress we’ve made towards our overall environmental stewardship initiatives. Tazo, Starbucks tea blending and packaging plant in Portland, Oregon, is doing good things for the environment.

First of all, Tazo purchases renewable energy RECS from wind power, equivalent to 100% of the electricity used at the Portland plant. There is also a robust recycling program in place – Tazo participates in the Portland Recycle at Work program, and has won a Recycle Works award for their efforts. Tazo has a Corporate Social Responsibility committee to manage this program with great participation from partners (employees) at the plant. Recycling is a high priority for partners along with composting lunchroom food waste and any spilled tea and spice from the plant. Cardboard and plastic from the plant are collected and recycled as well. Tazo also worked with their packaging supplier to develop a tea carton made with over 50% post-consumer fiber and eliminated the cellophane over-wrap, further reducing their packaging footprint.

Dealing with waste inside the Tazo plant is not enough for the partners; they also shut the plant down for two hours, twice a year, to pick up trash and clean up the neighborhood. Tazo actively participates in local food and blood drives to help give back to the Portland community. Nearly 30% of partners participate in the transportation alternatives program, commuting to work via bike, bus, carpool or walking rather than driving.

We look forward to sharing another progress report in the near future.

To read more about Starbucks environmental stewardship efforts visit www.starbucks.com/sharedplanet.