HeyTea
HeyTea is a Chinese premium tea beverage retailer founded in 2012 that pioneered New-Style Tea and signature cheese foam teas, operating 4,000+ stores globally across China, the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Malaysia, and South Korea, targeting young urban Millennial and Gen Z consumers through company-owned and franchise retail locations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersShenzhen, China
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What HeyTea does
HeyTea is a Shenzhen-headquartered Chinese tea beverage company founded in 2012 that pioneered the "New-Style Tea" category and is best known for its signature cheese foam tea (Xian Na Gao) and fruit tea offerings. The company operates a global retail network of more than 4,000 stores across China and international markets including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan, with flagship experiential formats such as the "heytea lab" in Times Square and CF Toronto Eaton Centre featuring exclusive beverages and chef collaborations (e.g., Susur Lee). Core proprietary technology centers on cheese foam preparation techniques and bespoke tea base development (such as the proprietary Rock Oolong blend developed for Canadian-exclusive products), supported by continuous limited-edition flavor innovation.
HeyTea firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HeyTea
- Legal name
- HeyTea
- Website
- https://heytea.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- HeyTea is a Chinese premium tea beverage retailer founded in 2012 that pioneered New-Style Tea and signature cheese foam teas, operating 4,000+ stores globally across China, the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Malaysia, and South Korea, targeting young urban Millennial and Gen Z consumers through company-owned and franchise retail locations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HeyTea industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Tea Beverage Retail
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Milk Tea & Flavored Tea Beverage Shops (Non-Boba) (THAFAKAI)
Keywords
Where HeyTea is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shenzhen
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices9 records
Markets served
HeyTea business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Store Sales: Primary revenue stream from direct sales of tea beverages through company-owned and franchise retail locations globally. Stores offer both standard menu items and limited-edition collaborative products.
- Franchise Royalties and Licensing: HeyTea generates revenue through franchise partnerships where franchisees pay royalties and licensing fees for brand, recipes, and operational standards. First franchise batch established in 2025.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium positioning with prices above volume leaders |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
HeyTea product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HeyTea operates a global chain of retail tea beverage stores originating the 'New-Style Tea' category in China. Its core product is signature cheese foam tea (Xian Na Gao), alongside fresh fruit teas and innovative tea-based beverages, sold through more than 4,000 company-owned and franchise stores across China, the U.S., Canada, U.K., Malaysia, South Korea, and other markets. The brand also operates premium 'heytea lab' experiential stores that showcase exclusive limited-edition beverages and chef collaborations.
Product overview
HeyTea is a Chinese tea beverage brand that pioneered 'New Style Tea' and is known for its signature cheese foam teas and social media-viral drinks. The company operates a global network of stores exceeding 4,000 locations across multiple countries. Its product portfolio centers on innovative tea-based beverages, with the heytea lab format representing its premium experiential retail concept for exclusive product launches and collaborations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cheese Foam Tea (Xian Na Gao) Signature tea beverage featuring a salted cheese foam topping over a tea base; the original and industry-defining product that established HeyTea as the originator of cheese foam tea and serves as the brand's flagship offering for individual retail consumers.
- New-Style Tea Beverages Modern tea beverages combining premium tea bases with innovative ingredients, fresh fruit, and artisanal preparation methods, targeted at young urban consumers seeking premium, Instagram-worthy beverage experiences.
- heytea lab Experiential retail store format offering exclusive limited-edition beverages, innovative proprietary tea bases (e.g., Rock Oolong), and chef collaborations. Serves as HeyTea's flagship concept for product innovation and premium brand positioning.
- Tea Experience Bar Immersive lifestyle destination format extending HeyTea's offering beyond traditional drinks to include tea-based desserts, pour-over tea, concentrated matcha creations, and tea ice cream, targeted at tea enthusiasts and lifestyle consumers.
- Franchise Operations Franchise program in which franchisees pay royalties and licensing fees for the HeyTea brand, recipes, and operational standards to operate retail tea stores in international markets.
Quantifiable outcome
- Limited-edition collectibles sold out within hours during POP MART collaboration, prompting second wave
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use HeyTea
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
HeyTea technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
HeyTea partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship.
- Susur Lee (Canadian Chef)flagshipRenowned Canadian chef Susur Lee collaborated with HeyTea on signature drinks for the first Canadian heytea lab at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, including Rock Oolong Caviar and Rock Oolong Caviar Ice Cream. This collaboration elevated the brand's premium positioning in the Canadian market.
- POP MARTflagshipHeyTea and POP MART launched their first global simultaneous co-branded campaign on December 22, 2025, featuring POP MART's 'Twinkle Twinkle' IP across approximately 4,000 stores including over 100 overseas locations in China, Hong Kong, Macao, US, UK, and Canada. The campaign included co-branded drinks, limited-edition collectible merchandise, themed stores, and pop-up activations. Limited-edition collectibles sold out within hours, prompting a second wave. The collaboration leveraged AI-powered backend systems including anti-bot filters and automated lottery mechanics.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
HeyTea competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chagee: Chagee is a direct competitor in the Chinese new-style tea segment, positioned in the 'affordable premium' tier just below HeyTea. The two brands compete head-to-head for premium tea beverage consumers across mall locations in China and internationally.
- Mixue: Mixue is the world's largest food and beverage chain by store count, operating a value-tier tea and ice cream model. It anchors the bottom of the Chinese modern tea market that HeyTea competes against on price and scale.
- Nayuki Holdings: Nayuki is a premium new-style tea and fruit tea chain in China with a similar premium positioning to HeyTea. It is one of HeyTea's closest direct peers in mall-based premium tea retail.
- BaWang ChaJi: BaWang ChaJi is a fast-growing Chinese premium new-style tea brand with significant overseas expansion (notably into the U.S. and Korea). It competes directly with HeyTea for premium tea consumers in shared international mall locations.
- Gong Cha: Gong Cha is a globally franchised bubble tea brand with thousands of stores worldwide. It overlaps with HeyTea on tea beverage retail and global expansion into the U.S., U.K., and Southeast Asia.
- CoCo Bubble Tea: CoCo is a large global milk tea chain operating across Asia, North America, and Europe. It competes with HeyTea in international mall locations on the milk tea and flavored tea category.
- Tiger Sugar: Tiger Sugar pioneered brown sugar boba milk and operates premium tea beverage stores globally. It targets the same premium consumer and lifestyle positioning as HeyTea in U.S. and Asian markets.
Broad incumbents
- Starbucks: Starbucks is the established global premium beverage incumbent. It competes with HeyTea for premium location leases, time-of-day occasions, and a share of millennial/Gen Z beverage spending, particularly in flagship cities like New York.
- Luckin Coffee: Luckin is the dominant Chinese digital-native coffee and tea chain. It competes with HeyTea on app-first ordering, store density in Chinese malls, and value-tier pricing pressure on adjacent beverage occasions.
Regional players
- Koi The: Koi The is a bubble tea and tea beverage brand with a strong footprint across East and Southeast Asia. It is a regional peer with comparable tea-based beverage offerings, particularly in markets like Malaysia and Singapore where HeyTea is also expanding.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HeyTea social profiles
Digital presenceHeyTea compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
HeyTea financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HeyTea leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
HeyTea funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors11 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HeyTea M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments5 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HeyTea
What does HeyTea do?
HeyTea operates a global chain of retail tea beverage stores originating the 'New-Style Tea' category in China. Its core product is signature cheese foam tea (Xian Na Gao), alongside fresh fruit teas and innovative tea-based beverages, sold through more than 4,000 company-owned and franchise stores across China, the U.S., Canada, U.K., Malaysia, South Korea, and other markets. The brand also operates premium 'heytea lab' experiential stores that showcase exclusive limited-edition beverages and chef collaborations.
Is HeyTea a public or private company?
HeyTea is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was HeyTea founded?
HeyTea was founded in 2012. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is HeyTea based?
HeyTea is headquartered in Shenzhen, China, in the Asia region.
How does HeyTea make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail Store Sales are the primary driver. The others are franchise Royalties and Licensing.
Who are HeyTea's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chagee, Mixue, Nayuki Holdings, BaWang ChaJi, Gong Cha, CoCo Bubble Tea and Tiger Sugar. Broad incumbents are Starbucks and Luckin Coffee. Koi The is listed as a regional player.
Does HeyTea have an API?
No public API is recorded for HeyTea.
What industry is HeyTea in?
HeyTea's product category is Specialty Tea Beverage Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAKAI, Milk Tea & Flavored Tea Beverage Shops (Non-Boba). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.