Introduction:The internationally renowned IP SMILEY’s tea beverage brand, SMILEY tea, is set to open its first global store at Beijing’s Chaoyang Joy City, with official operations expected to commence on October 1. The brand focuses on leaf tea beverages made using steam extraction technology, offering a diverse product line that includes lattes, pour-over teas, milk teas, alcoholic cocktails, and more, targeting consumers born in the 1990s and 1990s-late. This article delves into the principles of steam-extracted tea, the brand’s market positioning, and explores how it aims to stand out in the fiercely competitive tea beverage market.

With a history of half a century, the internationally known IP SMILEY is officially stepping into the tea beverage sector. Its new brand, SMILEY tea, will open its first global store at Beijing’s Chaoyang Joy City, scheduled to debut on October 1. Known for its iconic “smiley face” symbol, the brand is introducing a tea beverage concept centered around leaf tea steam extraction, utilizing modern extraction techniques similar to those used for coffee to create a differentiated product lineup.

SMILEY tea’s product range includes lattes, pour-over teas, milk teas, alcoholic cocktails, and ice cream, positioned in the mid-price market segment and primarily targeting young consumers born in the 1990s and 1990s-late. The brand’s most distinctive feature is its “steam extraction” technology, which is akin to the concentrated extraction method used for coffee and emphasizes the aroma and taste profile of the tea.

So-called steam extraction involves placing tea leaves in a filter cup, where steam generated by heating rises from below through the tea leaves to quickly extract the tea juice. This technique preserves the original aroma of the tea leaves while making the tea broth sweeter, smoother, and finer in texture. This method was first introduced at the Taipei International Food Show in 2005 and has gradually gained popularity in central and northern Taiwan in recent years, becoming an innovative approach in modern tea beverages.

The brand’s representative stated that SMILEY tea will adopt a mid-price strategy, with its target demographic being urban young people born in the 1990s and 1990s-late. After the opening of its first store, the brand plans to launch a second outlet in Beijing before the end of the year. Even though the physical store has not yet begun operations, the brand has already launched a mini-program for ordering, allowing consumers to preview the menu and store information in advance.

This “yellow smiley face” symbol, which originated in 1974, was initially proposed by French journalist Franklin Loufrani, aiming to inject positive energy into society at the time through the concept of “Smiling France.” Over time, SMILEY has evolved into a globally recognized licensing brand, with a product range encompassing everything from stickers and balloons to apparel, making it one of the most recognizable images in the world.

In the current highly competitive tea beverage market, many brands leverage popular IPs to attract traffic—for example, Heytea’s collaboration with the game “Genshin Impact,” where the first batch of products sold out within just an hour of launch. Similarly, Nayuki’s Tea also achieved strong sales performance in a short period through a collaboration with the TV drama “Eternal Love of Dream.”

However, for SMILEY tea, although it enjoys the innate advantage of existing traffic, truly establishing itself in the market still depends on the quality and innovation of the products themselves. Steam extraction technology offers a novel tea drinking experience, and when combined with a moderate price range, it may help the brand stand out among numerous competitors.

Experts point out that new entrants to the tea beverage market, in addition to leveraging IP popularity, should focus more on product R&D and customer experience. The key to steam extraction lies in controlling the steam temperature and extraction time, with medium-fine tea leaves generally recommended to achieve the best flavor profile. Moreover, if the brand can continue to introduce seasonal limited-edition flavors or innovative drinks in the future, it will help maintain market interest.

Overall, the arrival of SMILEY tea not only brings a new technological element to the tea beverage market but also showcases the potential of international IP cross-industry collaborations. Whether consumers will embrace this innovative beverage that combines Western extraction methods with Eastern tea culture will be key to the brand’s success.

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