Liu Minxia

mllmx@msn.com

HEYTEA, a Shenzhen-based tea chain, marked another milestone with the opening of its new store on Main Street in Cupertino, California, on Friday local time, solidifying its position as the fastest-growing bubble tea chain in the U.S. The company now operates over 100 overseas locations, a sixfold increase in just one year, it said yesterday.

In the U.S. alone, HEYTEA has expanded from two stores to more than 30, making it the largest new tea drink brand in the country by store count. The Cupertino opening is particularly symbolic as the Silicon Valley hub, home to Apple’s headquarters, welcomed HEYTEA as the first premium tea brand to establish a presence there.

Having already expanded into eight overseas countries, HEYTEA targets high-profile urban centers by opening stores in the landmark shopping districts of cities like London, New York, Toronto, and Sydney.

Its New York Times Square LAB store, opened earlier this year, sold over 3,500 cups on its first day and maintains a steady daily average of 2,000.

A Flushing, Queens location recorded nearly 3,300 cups on its third day, while a San Jose store continues to outperform initial sales even during off-peak seasons, the company said. Social media buzz has included viral videos of customers waiting two hours for a drink, with some U.S. consumers calling it “more addictive than coffee.”

HEYTEA attributes its success to its ability to balance signature drinks with localized creations. Its bestseller, Coconut Mango, has sold nearly 2.5 million cups overseas, including 1 million in the U.S. Other classics like Grape Cheezo and Mango Pomelo Sago have also surpassed 1 million in global sales.

HEYTEA has also partnered with global names like alexanderwang, Sandy Liang, and artist Yayoi Kusama, enhancing its cross-cultural appeal. Pop-up events, NBA star Paul George’s exclusive drink-mixing experience at the Beverly Hills store, and a viral social media moment with Blackpink’s Lisa have further boosted its profile.

To support its rapid growth, HEYTEA built a dedicated overseas supply chain, establishing warehouses in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and Malaysia. In the U.S., it collaborates with Sysco for local sourcing of milk, fruit, and other key ingredients.

The brand also launched in-house delivery services in early 2025, becoming the only U.S. bubble tea chain with a self-operated delivery system.

Established in Shenzhen in 2012, HEYTEA now has over 4,000 stores in China and overseas, catering to a customer base exceeding 150 million worldwide. It launched its first overseas store in Singapore in 2018.

HEYTEA is not the only Shenzhen-based tea chain venturing overseas. Nayuki Holdings, the operator of the Naixue tea chain, opened its first store in Thailand in 2023.