China’s tea market: new-style innovation, youth-driven growth, and premiumization
China’s tea market has a long history, with exports dating back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Today, China stands as the largest tea market globally, serving as both the biggest consumer and producer of tea. In 2024, domestic tea sales in China reached 2.4 million tons, accounting for around 69% of the country’s total […]
From milk tea to chili sauce: Can Sexy Tea (茶颜悦色) catch up with CHAGEE (霸王茶姬)?
Founded in 2013 in Changsha, Hunan, Sexy Tea (茶颜悦色) built its brand around “New Chinese-style Fresh Tea”(新中式鲜茶) focusing primarily on light milk tea (轻乳茶). Thanks to its distinctive flavor and exclusive local business model, it quickly gained popularity. However, while its reputation soared, Sexy Tea remained cautious about expansion and only ventured beyond Changsha […]
HEYTEA’s path to buzz in China and beyond through digital marketing and co-branding
Established in Guangdong in 2012, HEYTEA (喜茶) is a new-style tea drink brand that blends traditional Chinese tea culture with modern aesthetics, acclaimed for inventive teas and chic outlets. As of May 2023, it boasts 241 stores across China, concentrating on first and second-tier cities in the East and South. Moreover, the brand’s international growth is noteworthy, […]
“Duk Haan Yum Cha”: Chali and Chua Lam’s Dim Sum Rejuvenate the Tea Trend with Zao Cha Culture (早茶文化)
“得闲饮茶” (Duk Haan Yum Cha), a popular greeting in Cantonese-speaking areas, meaning “let us go for tea together when we have time”. This is one of the most representative expressions under Cantonese Zao Cha Culture (早茶文化). Chali, a tea brand based in the Guangdong Province, is utilizing this culture to present a joint program with […]