Celestial Seasonings

Overview

Celestial Seasonings is an American tea company specializing in herbal teas, with additional lines in green, white, black, chai, wellness, and iced teas. Based in Boulder, Colorado, it pioneered the herbal tea category in the US and sources over 100 ingredients from more than 35 countries, serving over 1.6 billion cups annually.¹²³

History

Founded in 1969 by Mo Siegel, who handpicked wild herbs from the Rocky Mountains to create the first herbal teas sold to health food stores. Key milestones include the 1972 launches of Sleepytime (its bestselling tea) and Red Zinger, acquisition by Kraft in 1984, a 1989 leveraged buyout by management and Vestar Capital Partners, introduction of green tea in 1995, and merger with Hain Food Group in 2000 to form Hain Celestial Group.¹³

Product Lines

Manufacturing

Teas are crafted in Boulder, Colorado, by the company's Blendmaster using ingredients sourced from over 35 countries.²³

Notable Products

• Sleepytime - Bestselling herbal tea introduced in 1972, featuring calming chamomile and spearmint.
• Red Zinger - Original zesty herbal tea from 1972 with hibiscus, peppermint, and cinnamon.
• Green Tea Line - First green tea launched in mainstream US stores in 1995.
• Chai Tea Line - Spiced chai varieties introduced in 2000.
• Cool Brew Iced Tea - Iced tea line launched in 2003 for cold brewing.

Reputation

Celestial Seasonings is recognized by enthusiasts as a pioneer in herbal teas for popularizing blends like Sleepytime and defining the category since 1969. Professionals note its market leadership in specialty teas and innovation in green and chai lines, though past ownership changes including Kraft acquisition drew some criticism from natural product advocates.¹³