Ning Ji
Ning Ji (柠季) is a Chinese hand-smashed lemon tea chain operating through more than 3,000 franchised stores in China, built on a vertically integrated supply chain spanning 1,000+ acres of self-grown perfume lemon plantations and a 36-hour cold-chain distribution network, and is expanding internationally via the Bobobaba brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersChangshan, China
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ning Ji does
Ning Ji (柠季), legally Hunan Sanfa Catering Management Co., Ltd., is a Chinese new-style tea brand chain founded in February 2021 with its first store in Changsha and its headquarters at 26F, Guotou Mansion, No.168 Yangshupu Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai. Its core product is hand-smashed lemon tea made from selected perfume lemons and freshly brewed tea, positioned as a refreshing and healthy offering for young urban consumers; the company reports cumulative sales of more than 200 million cups. The business operates as a franchise model with more than 3,000 stores signed nationwide as of 2024 and over 400 new stores added in the first five months of 2026, supported by vertical integration through 1,000+ acres of self-grown lemon plantations in Guangdong and Guangxi, five national warehouses, and a 36-hour SF Express cold chain delivery capability.
Revenue is generated primarily through franchise fees, ongoing royalties, and centralized supply chain sales to franchisees, with a secondary licensing royalty stream tied to the announced 2026 acquisition of General Mills' Häagen-Dazs ice-cream shop operations in mainland China, under which Ningji and co-investors receive exclusive licensing rights to the Häagen-Dazs brand for ice-cream shops and gifting in the territory. The company has begun executing a global expansion strategy launched at the end of 2024 — entering the U.S. market via the Bobobaba sub-brand with products adapted to local tastes, and operating in Malaysia — supported by a May 2025 strategic alliance with PingPong to address cross-border payments, stamp duties, and complex franchise revenue-sharing structures. Capital structure is private, with a disclosed $14.35 million Series A led by Tencent in January 2022 and prior participation from ByteDance and Shunwei Capital.
Ning Ji firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ning Ji
- Legal name
- Hunan Sanfa Catering Management Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://ningjitea.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Ning Ji (柠季) is a Chinese hand-smashed lemon tea chain operating through more than 3,000 franchised stores in China, built on a vertically integrated supply chain spanning 1,000+ acres of self-grown perfume lemon plantations and a 36-hour cold-chain distribution network, and is expanding internationally via the Bobobaba brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ning Ji industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Tea Retail
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)
- akta.pro primary industry
- RTD Iced Tea Production (AFAFABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale (AFAIAGAD)
Keywords
Where Ning Ji is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Changshan
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices5 records
Markets served
Ning Ji business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Franchise Operations: Ningji operates primarily through a franchise model, granting licenses to franchisees to operate hand-smashed lemon tea retail shops under the Ningji brand. Franchisees pay franchise fees and ongoing royalties in exchange for brand rights, operational support, and supply chain access.
- Licensing Royalties (Häagen-Dazs): Following the acquisition of General Mills' Häagen-Dazs shop operations in mainland China, Ningji receives exclusive licensing rights to use the Häagen-Dazs brand for ice-cream shops and gifting businesses in mainland China.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Franchise Partnership Model |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ning Ji product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ningji operates a franchise-based quick-service beverage chain selling hand-smashed lemon tea made from selected perfume lemons and freshly brewed tea, primarily through over 3,000 franchise stores across China and increasingly through international franchise locations. The company also controls the upstream supply of its signature ingredient via 1,000+ acres of self-grown lemon plantations and a 36-hour cold chain distribution backbone, and it is expanding into Häagen-Dazs licensed ice cream shops in mainland China.
Product overview
Ningji is a Chinese hand-smashed lemon tea quick-service retail brand operated by Hunan Sanfa Catering Management Co., Ltd. Founded in Changsha in February 2021, the company has grown to over 3,000 stores nationwide as of 2024. The core product is hand-smashed lemon tea made from self-grown perfume lemons cultivated in Guangdong and Guangxi, with distribution supported by 5 national cold-chain warehouses enabling 36-hour delivery. Ningji operates through a franchise model and launched its global expansion strategy at the end of 2024.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ningji Lemon Tea: Premium hand-smashed lemon tea brand featuring selected perfume lemons with freshly brewed tea, positioning as refreshing, healthy, and great with meals.
Products and services
- Ningji Hand Smashed Lemon Tea A hand-smashed lemon tea beverage made from selected perfume lemons and freshly brewed tea, positioned as refreshing, healthy, and great with meals; targeted at young, health-conscious Chinese consumers and sold primarily through Ningji franchise stores, with over 200 million cups sold cumulatively.
- Ningji Franchise Program A franchise partnership program granting qualified individual investors and small-business operators the right to open and operate Ningji hand-smashed lemon tea retail stores, providing brand rights, supply chain access, SOP/QSC training, and operational support under multi-year contracts with application and on-site inspection required.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 3,000 stores signed nationwide as of 2024
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ning Ji
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ning Ji technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Ning Ji partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- General Mills (Häagen-Dazs Acquisition)majorNingji joined an investor group to acquire General Mills' Häagen-Dazs ice-cream shop operations in mainland China. The buyer group receives exclusive licensing rights to use the Häagen-Dazs brand for ice-cream shops and gifting businesses in mainland China, while General Mills retains ownership of retail and foodservice operations. Transaction expected to close in calendar 2026 pending regulatory approvals.
- PingPongcoreGlobal payment platform PingPong signed strategic cooperation agreements with Ningji and three other Chinese restaurant brands (Zhuguangyu, Green Tea, Xiongdaye) to launch a global development alliance addressing the financial infrastructure challenges of overseas expansion. The partnership helps Chinese brands navigate multi-currency exchange, stamp duties, and complex revenue-sharing structures under mixed franchise models.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ning Ji competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HEYTEA (喜茶): HEYTEA is a leading premium tea beverage chain in China that pioneered cheese-foam tea and competes directly with Ning Ji in the trendy, young-consumer-focused RTD tea segment with overlapping franchise and DTC store models.
- Nayuki Holdings (奈雪的茶): Nayuki is a publicly listed premium tea drink chain in China competing in the same young-consumer, fresh-prepared tea beverage space with similar store economics and brand positioning to Ning Ji.
- Chagee (霸王茶姬): Chagee is a rapidly growing milk tea and tea drink chain expanding internationally with a similar franchise-led, fresh-prepared positioning that overlaps Ning Ji's target market and operating model.
- Mixue Group (蜜雪冰城): Mixue is one of the largest quick-service tea and ice cream chains in China with a similarly franchise-heavy, mass-market model that competes with Ning Ji on price-sensitive occasions and store density.
- Guming Holdings (古茗): Guming is a major fresh-prepared tea drink chain in China with thousands of franchise stores and a comparable supply chain-driven, standardized operating model targeting the same mass-premium consumer segment as Ning Ji.
- CoCo都可: CoCo is a globally operating bubble tea and tea beverage franchise chain with thousands of stores across Asia and beyond, sharing Ning Ji's franchise-led, quick-service tea beverage retail model and international expansion ambitions.
- Chatime (日出茶太): Chatime is one of the largest global bubble tea franchise networks, comparable to Ning Ji in its fresh-prepared tea beverage retail model and global store rollout strategy targeting young consumers.
- Gong Cha (贡茶): Gong Cha is a global bubble tea franchise chain with a comparable franchise-driven retail model to Ning Ji, competing in the same freshly prepared tea beverage category with international store presence.
- Happy Lemon (快乐柠檬): Happy Lemon is a franchise tea beverage chain operating lemon-focused and fruit tea drinks, directly comparable to Ning Ji's hand-smashed lemon tea positioning and franchise store model across China and select international markets.
Regional players
- Cha Yan Yue Se (茶颜悦色): Cha Yan Yue Se is a popular Chinese-style tea brand concentrated in central China (Hunan region where Ning Ji was founded), offering traditional fresh-brewed tea beverages with strong brand affinity among young urban consumers similar to Ning Ji's target.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ning Ji social profiles
Digital presenceNing Ji financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ning Ji leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Ning Ji funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ning Ji M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ning Ji
What does Ning Ji do?
Ningji operates a franchise-based quick-service beverage chain selling hand-smashed lemon tea made from selected perfume lemons and freshly brewed tea, primarily through over 3,000 franchise stores across China and increasingly through international franchise locations. The company also controls the upstream supply of its signature ingredient via 1,000+ acres of self-grown lemon plantations and a 36-hour cold chain distribution backbone, and it is expanding into Häagen-Dazs licensed ice cream shops in mainland China.
Is Ning Ji a public or private company?
Ning Ji is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Ning Ji founded?
Ning Ji was founded in 2021. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Ning Ji based?
Ning Ji is headquartered in Changshan, China, in the Asia region.
How does Ning Ji make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Franchise Operations are the primary driver. The others are licensing Royalties (Häagen-Dazs).
Who are Ning Ji's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HEYTEA (喜茶), Nayuki Holdings (奈雪的茶), Chagee (霸王茶姬), Mixue Group (蜜雪冰城), Guming Holdings (古茗), CoCo都可, Chatime (日出茶太), Gong Cha (贡茶) and Happy Lemon (快乐柠檬). Cha Yan Yue Se (茶颜悦色) is listed as a regional player.
Does Ning Ji have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ning Ji.
What industry is Ning Ji in?
Ning Ji's product category is Specialty Tea Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFABAD, RTD Iced Tea Production, with a secondary code of CRAHAGAI, Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.