For all you tea aficionados feeling the void left by Chagee’s departure earlier this year, here is good news: The Chinese milk tea brand is making a comeback with a brand-new concept and drinks menu. 

Picture this, by the end of 2024, you could be lounging in Chagee’s chic tea bar boasting tea-toned interiors and which won the 2023 MUSE Design Platinum Award. But this spot will not just be about looks, the brand’s lineup of drinks is also set to satiate and nourish you.  

Diving deep into the heart of health-conscious tea lovers, Chagee is on a mission to blend taste with wellness in every cup as it introduces its new series of drinks that the brand says is tastier and healthier. 

Chagee’s drinks are brewed using freshly picked tea leaves, instead of powdered tea, and blended with silky milk for authentic, full-bodied flavour. The brand says it no longer uses non-dairy creamer and trans-fatty acids in its drinks.

With the revamp, its signature Jasmine green milk tea packs just 130 calories in a sugar-free medium cup  – this is equivalent to the calories of half an avocado.

Quenching cravings with a healthier twist

With the global shift towards mindful consumption, milk tea brewed from leaves and made with fresh ingredients has been gaining increasing popularity especially amongst younger millennial and gen Z consumers, says Chagee. 

According to a survey conducted by iiMedia Research, a market consultancy and information provider, 49.4 per cent of Chinese milk tea consumers have concerns about health issues, and 42.2 per cent worry that excess sugar in the drinks may cause weight gain.

In 2023, Chagee showed its commitment to transparency, showcasing detailed nutritional information using an “identity card”. Each card held information such as the amount of calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat content of the drink. It was one of the first beverage brands to do so in China, according to the company.

As it makes its comeback, the brand has also been investing its time and resources to ensure its range of drinks is alinged with Singapore’s Nutri-Grade labelling scheme. The healthiest drinks are graded “A”, while those with the high sugar or saturated fat content get a “C” or “D”. 

Shanghai has also been conducting a similar labelling pilot programme aimed at offering consumers with a guideline on how to choose healthier drink options. The four grades – “A”, “B”, “C” and “D” – are assessed according to how much each drink contains ingredients such as non-dairy sugar, non-sugar sweetener, saturated fat and trans-fatty acids.

Chagee says it is one of the first drinks brands to apply this nutrition content label to its in-store products in Shanghai. According to the brand, based on Shanghai’s current beverage classification standards, more than 60 per cent of its drinks fall under the “A” and “B” ratings.

Expanding into the South-east Asian market

Chagee was first launched in southwest China’s Yunnan province, which is believed to be where tea first originated from. 

After seven years in the game, it now has over 4,000 outlets globally, and is focused on creating a modern drink brand that combines oriental tea culture with an innovative concept.  

Many Chagee outlets are located in shopping malls, making it more accessible for the younger millennials and gen Zs who frequent such establishments with their friends.  

In August 2023, the “Chagee  fever” swept Beijing with customers waiting for nearly four hours to purchase a drink on the first day of the store’s opening. More than 2,000 cups were ordered at the peak of its operations that day. 

According to Chagee, more than 100 million cups of its very popular Jasmine green milk tea was sold in 2023.

It has now brought its innovative tea drinks to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, expanding its global reach into the South-east Asian market. 

In Malaysia, the annual “Tear & Win Day” remains as one of Chagee’s highlights. On that day, customers tear up the bottom of the drink cups and stand to win gifts such as coupons and souvenirs. On October 7, 2023, Malaysia’s “Tear & Win Day” saw most of Chagee’s outlets packed with customers, with real-time orders exceeding 200 cups at one point.