Introduction:This summer, tea beverages served in containers ranging from 1 to 5 liters have swept across bubble tea shops, becoming a new favorite among consumers seeking high cost-performance value. This trend has not only prompted brands to roll out large-capacity options but also sparked discussions on drink shelf life and hygiene. This article delves into the evolution of bucket-sized tea drinks, the current market landscape, and the reasons behind the resurgence of fruit tea this summer, helping readers grasp practical insights about this beverage trend.

This summer, a type of fruit tea served in large buckets has quietly become a popular item in bubble tea shops. From Heytea and Nayuki to Cha Bai Dao and CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice, major brands have launched 1-liter or even larger bucket-sized drinks, attracting customers with affordable prices. These products are not just larger versions but represent an emerging consumption experience.

In fact, bucket-sized tea drinks are not a new phenomenon. As early as 2019, large bucket milk teas gained brief fame due to a fan campaign for Jay Chou, even becoming viral internet memes. By 2020, Nayuki introduced an astonishing 5-liter "Tyrannical Bucket," equivalent to 10 regular servings of milk tea. However, such products faced issues with short preservation times and susceptibility to bacterial growth, limiting their widespread adoption.

With the arrival of summer, a chilled fruit tea has become an ideal choice for outings. To attract consumers, tea beverage brands have used "great value in large portions" as a selling point, making bucket-sized fruit teas a menu highlight and a top choice for trying something new or sharing. The 500ml milk tea commonly enjoyed during afternoon tea has now transformed into a "bucket version" for gatherings—available in sizes from 1 liter to 6 jin (3 kg) or even 8 liters.

In the market, not only Heytea and Nayuki have actively expanded their offerings with products like "Datong Multifruit Peach & Plum," "Tyrannical 1-Liter Peach," and "Tyrannical Strawberry Tornado," but other brands such as Cha Bai Dao, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice, Uncle No Name Tea, and Heytea have also followed suit. According to delivery platform data, these 1-liter bucket tea drinks are mostly priced between 19 and 28 yuan, closely aligned with mid-tier brand pricing, indicating fierce market competition.

The “bucket” trend is not limited to tea drinks. On social media platforms, 8-jin coconut water, oversized coffee buckets, and even 4-liter mung bean smoothies have become hot topics. Consumers not only enjoy the affordability of large portions but also love taking photos with the big buckets for social media, making “bucket-sized” a unique consumption phenomenon this summer.

However, while bucket drinks are appealing, they come with some practical challenges. For milk tea or juice-based beverages, they may remain drinkable for a short time when unopened, but once opened, the bacteria count can rise rapidly. It is understood that even at room temperature, microbial growth can surge within just two hours. In fact, many consumers report that although a bucket of tea can be shared among multiple people, it often takes several hours to finish, while the optimal flavor and safe drinking window are typically much shorter.

Looking back to the end of 2019, when Jay Chou’s fans organized a support event that kicked off the craze for large bucket milk teas, such products became hot topics on social media due to their novel design and surprising portion sizes. By 2020, Nayuki launched a limited-edition 5-liter "Tyrannical Treasure Bucket Milk Tea" priced at 99 yuan—more than enough for a typical household’s daily tea needs—but few consumers actually finished the entire bucket.

It wasn’t until this summer that market strategies shifted. Brands turned their focus from milk tea to more refreshing fruit teas, while also reducing the size from often unwieldy 5-liter volumes to the more manageable 1-liter size. This retained the fun of large portions while improving both convenience and practicality. This shift has brought bucket tea drinks back into consumer view, making them a standout highlight in this summer’s tea beverage market.

With the arrival of the Beginning of Autumn, many are now pondering: should they go for a “first cup of autumn milk tea,” or challenge themselves with a larger “first bucket of autumn milk tea”? Either way, the popularity of bucket tea drinks has revealed both the potential and the challenges of large-capacity beverages in the market.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.