• by Danielle Oster , September 28, 2023

Teamaker Tazo has brewed up a bold way to tie its brand of concentrated tea and latte mixes to buzzworthy cafes developing creative beverage recipes.

Tazo  partnered with Issa Rae -- fresh off her role as President Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s hugely successful blockbuster bringing Mattel’s iconic fashion doll to life -- on a new venture called The Tazo Cafe Collective. As it turns out, the actress, writer and producer is also a cafe owner, with the Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen business she co-owns operating in four locations around Los Angeles.

The brand describes the collective as a chance to  “inspire people to support local, independent cafes in their communities, banding together innovative cafes (like Issa’s) to create bold beverage recipes that will be released on seasonal menus.”

Presumably, those recipes will feature Tazo’s offerings, while participating cafes will benefit from financial and marketing support from the brand, as well as free and discounted Tazo products, access to ideas for menu inspiration, and café merch.

Rae partnered with Tazo to create the initial entry: Tazo Passion Twist, featuring Tazo’s Passion Tea Concentrate, which is available at Hilltop locations and on Tazo’s website.

She  stars in a campaign video promoting the effort, addressing the issue of struggling local cafes across the country while explaining she first dreamt up many of her ideas in cafes.  The ad then draws a connection to at-home consumption, with Rae explaining she wants such businesses to thrive for the benefit of upcoming creatives today, whether they’re “working all day at the cafe, or all night at home."

Cafes can apply to be part of the collective on a campaign landing site. Tazo will feature cafe’s recipes on its social channels, as well as at participating Tazo Cafe Collective cafes.