New Whole Leaf Tazo Teas At Starbucks

[RollingAlong]

I emailed Tazo for info and they asked me to call them.

I spoke with a very pleasant rep.

She told me that all the teas contain "natural flavors" and none of the Tazo teas at Starbucks can be guaranteed to be gluten-free.

I wasn't asking for a guarantee, I just want to know what I am drinking.

So does knowing "natural flavors" is an ingredient help?

Do we have a script for these sort of calls? I've been keeping things pretty simple so I am new to this part of the game.

Is anyone drinking tea at Starbucks these days?

thank you!

[missy'smom]

I've been calling on spices and natural flavors alot these past few months-not from a gluten standpoint but because of possible allergens for us. I'll just share my experience even though it may not answer your gluten question. I start with asking what they are, and many companies have divulged all ingredients if they won't then I take the approach, or sometimes they make the offer, for me to tell them what I can't have and they check the natural flavors and/or spices for allergen x, y, and z etc. as I list them off. In many of the meats, I have found that natural flavor is rosemary oil. Most gave me answers right then and there but a few others took a couple of days to get back to me.

It's interesting about Tazo. Thanks for bringing it up. I used to drink the Calm often-but not order made at Starbucks. I purchased the boxes of bags and drink at home. Lately though I feel consistantly like it doesn't set well with me. So I switched to a pure chammomile and that seems fine so I was thinking that maybe one of the other ingredients in the Calm was bothering me but wasn't sure wich one. None of them are on my avoid list, but who knows, maybe I've developed an intolerance, I thought. I haven't purchased any new stock in many months, just been using old stock that I gave away this past weekend.

[jerseyangel]

I drink Tazo Awake Tea both at home and at Starbucks--as far as I know, it's just black tea. I've never had a problem with it.

[RollingAlong]

I've contacted Starbucks 3 times 2 emails and 1 call.

Here's a chart of the Tazo tea ingredients. It is clear now that I miscommunicated with the customer service rep who told me all of the teas had natural flavors. Only two, Passion and Chai, have the "Flavor Known as Natural." I haven't heard back from Starbucks about the source.

Plenty of choices at Starbucks, it seems.

Tea Name

Ingredients

Awake

A BLEND OF BLACK TEAS.

Earl Grey

BLACK TEA, BERGAMOT ESSENCE, LAVENDER FLOWERS.

Chai

BLACK TEA, GINGER ROOT, CINNAMON, BLACK PEPPER, CARDAMOM, STAR ANISE, CLOVES AND NATURAL FLAVOR.

China Green Tips

SPRING-HARVESTED GREEN TEA.

Zen

GREEN TEA, LEMON VERBENA LEAVES, SPEARMINT LEAVES, LEMONGRASS, LEMON ESSENCE OIL.

Orange Blossom

JASMINE GREEN TEA, TANGERINE PEEL, GOJI BERRIES, CHAMOMILE FLOWERS, FENNEL SEEDS, LICORICE ROOT, ORANGE ESSENCE, TARRAGON, BERGAMOT ESSENCE.

Vanilla Rooibos

ROOIBOS, LICORICE ROOT, BLACKBERRY LEAVES, CINNAMON, APPLE PIECES, PEACH PIECES, VANILLA EXTRACT, CHAMOMILE FLOWERS.

Passion

HIBISCUS FLOWERS, LEMONGRASS, ORANGE PEEL, CINNAMON, ROSE HIPS, LICORICE ROOT, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, FRUIT JUICE (FOR COLOR).

Calm

CHAMOMILE FLOWERS, BLACKBERRY LEAVES, LEMONGRASS, ROSE PETALS, SPEARMINT LEAVES, LEMON BALM LEAF, HIBISCUS FLOWERS, LAVENDER FLOWERS, MARIGOLD FLOWERS.

Refresh

PEPPERMINT LEAVES, SPEARMINT LEAVES, TARRAGON LEAVES.

[Nightingale8472]

According to Tazo's website FAQ, "All our teas are gluten-free, except for the following: Green Ginger, Tazo Honeybush, Lemon Ginger, and Tea Lemonade"

[RollingAlong]

Hear back from Starbucks about the whole leaf Tazo tea - Passion.

Passion

HIBISCUS FLOWERS, LEMONGRASS, ORANGE PEEL, CINNAMON, ROSE HIPS, LICORICE ROOT, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, FRUIT JUICE (FOR COLOR).

The natural flavor is derived from corn.

It took a ridiculous amount of time to get this info. I am not sure why Starbucks doesn't just put it on their website and have done with it.