Introduction:Recently, ChaBaidao has once again drawn attention due to food safety issues, with reports exposing the use of expired ingredients and even a spider found in a beverage. Although the brand responded swiftly, consumer concerns remain unresolved. This article details the sequence of events, analyzes the brand’s handling of the situation, and reviews multiple food safety incidents this year to help readers understand the truth and potential risks.
ChaBaidao has once again been embroiled in a food safety controversy, becoming the focus of public discourse. On the evening of October 9, the brand’s official Weibo account released two statements in succession, addressing the “use of expired raw materials” and the “customer complaint in Ningbo about finding a spider in a beverage” respectively. However, these explanations did not fully dispel public doubts but instead sparked further discussion.
First, regarding the Ningbo spider incident, ChaBaidao stated that the origin of the spider shown in the video was unclear and could not be confirmed as the brand’s responsibility, emphasizing that the spider was neither produced nor delivered by ChaBaidao. According to the timeline, on October 6, a female customer in Cixi, Ningbo, ordered a delivery beverage from a ChaBaidao outlet and discovered a spider in the separated whipped cream. She immediately took photos and reported it to the relevant authorities. The store staff responded that no foreign objects were found during preparation and that the customer filed the complaint several hours after receiving the drink. Although the staff mentioned at the time that they were negotiating a 600 RMB compensation with the customer, ChaBaidao later clarified that this compensation amount was an individual employee’s action to “resolve the issue quietly,” not company policy.
Once this response was made public, netizen reactions were mixed, with many unconvinced, believing the brand failed to address the issue directly and instead shifted responsibility onto frontline employees. The most-liked comment under the statement reflected such dissatisfaction.
On the same day, ChaBaidao also responded to another earlier exposed food safety incident—the use of expired raw materials. On September 30, a blogger conducted undercover visits to four ChaBaidao outlets in different cities and found evidence of expired ingredient labels being changed. Allegedly, staff also mentioned that this was done to cope with inspections by regulatory authorities. After the incident came to light, ChaBaidao issued an apology statement the next day, promising a comprehensive investigation of all stores and corrective actions. However, within less than a week, the brand was successively exposed for a spider in a beverage and the use of problematic ingredients, leading consumers to seriously question its quality control capabilities.
Looking back at the records, ChaBaidao has been cited multiple times by market regulators for food safety issues this year. In February, the Fengxian District Market Supervision Administration in Shanghai conducted surprise inspections at some bubble tea shops in Baolong Plaza, where ChaBaidao was found to have semi-finished products not covered for protection, food ingredients not properly sealed, incomplete employee health certificates, and improper mask-wearing practices.
In March, the Chenzhou City Market Supervision Administration in Hunan Province, during a routine inspection, found that two staff members at a ChaBaidao outlet did not hold valid health certificates. Additionally, hygiene issues such as damp kitchen floors and unsealed trash bins were also flagged.
By May, ChaBaidao’s Changsha Shiji Jinyuan store was inspected again, this time for expired labels on “cake” and “raw condensed milk” stored in the refrigerator, suspected of using substandard ingredients. These incidents indicate systemic flaws in ChaBaidao’s quality control and hygiene management.
Although ChaBaidao emphasized in its latest statements that it has conducted investigations and rectifications across all national outlets and strengthened inspections and management, consumer confidence has already been affected. Notably, according to the June 2024 “Meituan Delivery Sales Rankings” nationwide, ChaBaidao ranked third with 10.563 million monthly orders, only behind McDonald’s and Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, highlighting its significant market share. However, the frequent food safety incidents also remind consumers to pay more attention to store hygiene and ingredient freshness when choosing beverages.
Food safety has always been the cornerstone of the catering industry, and for chain brands like ChaBaidao, it is even more crucial to strictly control every link. While consumers enjoy convenience and a variety of choices, they should also stay vigilant to protect their own rights. It is hoped that relevant departments will continue to strengthen supervision to ensure that every beverage on the market is safe and reliable.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
