China's new-style tea beverages turn daily drinking into cultural expressions

Photo taken on Jan. 31 2024 in Shanghai shows drinks co-branded by bubble tea franchise HEYTEA and a popular TV drama. (Photo/Wang Chu)

In Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province, a little girl stood on tiptoe, clutching her mother Chen Juan's hand as they waited eagerly outside a tea shop.

"If you buy a drink and pay another 18.8 yuan ($2.64), you can get a blind-box figurine. She's been asking for this for weeks, so I brought her here today," said Chen.

Moments later, a cheerful chime signaled that the tea was ready, along with a cute figurine. The girl jumped with joy. Chen laughed: "Kids these days love new-style tea drinks. With blind boxes and limited editions, there's always something new to keep them hooked."

According to the China Chain Store and Franchise Association (CCFA), "new-style tea" refers to freshly prepared beverages made with raw tea leaves or tea infusions, blended with fresh fruit, vegetable juices, dairy products, or other ingredients, excluding instant powdered drinks.

The market for such beverages has expanded rapidly in recent years. A joint report by the CCFA's new-style tea committee and a research institute under the Chinese on-demand delivery company Meituan estimates that consumption in the sector will surpass 200 billion yuan this year.

"For just an extra yuan with any order, you can get an ice cup. You can even make your drink yourself and share it on social media. That way, customers aren't just drinkers, but also creators and promoters. It's so much fun!" said Peng Cheng, a resident in Changsha, central China's Hunan province, while waiting in line outside a bubble tea shop.

Tea drinks today offer more than refreshment, but a sense of participation and interaction. To meet the growing demand for healthier options, tea brands have diversified their ingredient choices. Curly kale, celery, beetroot, bell peppers now join seabuckthorn, mulberries, blueberries, and traditional herbs like dried tangerine peel and goji berries. These additions cater to health-conscious consumers while enriching flavor variety.

A bubble tea shop in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan province, features interior design inspired by movable type printing. (Photo/Wang Chu)

Culture has also become an integral part of the experience. For example, Shanghai-based brand Auntea Jenny paired its spring teas with world-famous paintings, printing reproductions of oil artworks onto its cups that quickly went viral online. By blending cultural creativity with their products, tea brands are transforming beverages into lively carriers of cultural expressions.

The popularity of new-style tea reflects not only China's evolving consumer trends but also the country's potential to boost agricultural consumption.

At a HEYTEA outlet at the OneLink Walk shopping center in Guangzhou, Yu Xiaokai created a seasonal bestseller, the "Wampee Jasmine King," by blending wampee fruit with matcha and jasmine tea. The drink once sold over 1,200 cups in a single day.

"Back in 2021, we launched our first wampee-based drink. It was an instant hit and opened up an entirely new market for the fruit," said HEYTEA procurement specialist Sun Yawei. "This year, wampee prices rose 60 percent, bringing real income growth to farmers."

For growers like Zhao Dan in Lianhua village, Enping, south China's Guangdong province, the change has been transformative. "In the past, wampee farming was barely profitable due to weak sales. Now, tea companies buy directly, sometimes even before harvest. Prices have risen from 5 yuan per kilogram to as high as 8 yuan, raising income by about 8,000 yuan per mu," Zhao said.

Wampee is not the only beneficiary. Fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products are also finding new markets through the tea industry. In Jinzao township, Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, mulberries have become a sought-after ingredient, significantly raising their market value.

Last year, beverage brand ChaPanda sourced over 250,000 tons of raw materials directly or indirectly through its supply chain, benefiting more than 100,000 farmers. As new-style tea consumption drives demand for local specialties, it also incentivizes improvements in product quality.

In Tongnan district, southwest China's Chongqing municipality, one of the world's top three lemon-producing regions, an agricultural subsidiary of Chinese beverage company Mixue Bingcheng established a farmer support center that serves 38,000 mu of lemon orchards. "With our training and technical guidance, chemical pesticide use has dropped by 30 percent, water consumption by 90 percent, and pest and disease control rates have reached 95 percent," said center director Dai Long.