MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Oprah introduces her own tea at Seattle Starbucks shareholders meeting

Mar 19, 2014, 1:08 PM | Updated: May 13, 2016, 10:50 pm

The Playing For Change band performs Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at the Starbucks Coffee Company's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, talks about Starbucks' Teavana tea products, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at the company's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. Schultz says growth in the tea market is a key part of Starbucks' strategy for the years ahead. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, stands in front of a projection of stock ticker symbols including Starbucks' "SBUX," Wednesday, March 19, 2014, as he talks about his company's performance at Starbucks' annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Howard Schultz, left, chairman and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, sits and drinks tea with Oprah Winfrey, right, to announce their partnership to offer Teavana Oprah Chai tea, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at Starbucks' annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Howard Schultz, left, chairman and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, clinks tea cups with Oprah Winfrey, right, to announce their partnership to offer Teavana Oprah Chai tea, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at Starbucks' annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Shareholders and other guests arrive for the annual Starbucks Coffee Company shareholders meeting, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Angela Sheehan, left, a worker at a a Starbucks-owned Teavana store in Seattle, waves a lid so shareholder Gail Gorud, right, of Kirkland, Wash., can smell different types of tea, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in the lobby outside the company's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said Wednesday that growth of the company's tea products will be a key part of their future growth. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Sandy Roberts, Starbucks strategy manager for global coffee engagement, pours samples of coffee for shareholders and other guests, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at Starbucks' annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Norman Lear, television writer and producer, speaks at the opening of Starbucks Coffee Company's annual shareholders meeting, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, speaks in front of an image of the Starbucks logo on the green aprons worn by Starbucks workers, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at the company's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, speaks in front of a graph showing the progression of the company's stock price Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at the company's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, waits in the wings before the opening of the company's annual shareholders meeting Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, speaks Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at the company's annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Howard Schultz, left, chairman and CEO of Starbucks Coffee Company, clinks tea cups with Oprah Winfrey, right, to announce their partnership to offer Teavana Oprah Chai tea, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at Starbucks' annual shareholders meeting in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Starbucks shareholders heard the announcement at their annual meeting – soon you will be able to buy Teavana Oprah Chai Tea at Starbucks.

The crowd went wild as Oprah took the stage in McCaw Hall Wednesday. She said her tea is a spicy blend she developed and Starbucks will make a donation to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation for each product sold.

Beginning April 29, customers will be able to walk into Starbucks and Teavana stores across the United States and Canada and order Teavana Oprah Chai Tea.

Schultz also told shareholders the coffee company is still in the early stages of growth and has a long-term target of doubling its market cap to $100 billion.

Television writer and producer Norman Lear kicked off the meeting by introducing the Playing For Change Band, whose third album will be available in Starbucks stores in June.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

John Curley and Shari Elliker on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
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