Introduction:Heytea’s “Super Plant Tea” series continues to expand, with the newly launched Beetroot Beauty Bottle attracting health-conscious beverage enthusiasts, but also significantly increasing the workload for store kitchen staff. From washing, peeling to juicing, each step requires precise handling. This article takes an in-depth look at the real-life conditions of kitchen staff under high-intensity work and shares key tips for handling special ingredients like beetroot.
Heytea’s “Super Plant Tea” series has added a new member — the Beetroot Beauty Bottle, which quickly gained favor among consumers who value natural and wellness-oriented drinks. However, for kitchen staff in the stores, the frequent launch of new product lines has brought unprecedented challenges. From the earliest Garment Leaf Slimming Bottle to the subsequent Bitter Melon Detox Slimming Bottle, up to the newly released beetroot drink, kitchen staff face the constant operation of sinks, cutting boards, and blenders every day.
In the initial stage when only the Garment Leaf Slimming Bottle was available, staff were mainly responsible for washing fruits and vegetables, and handling apples and lemons. Although the workload was heavy during peak orders, it was still manageable. However, with the launch of the Bitter Melon Detox Slimming Bottle, the situation changed significantly. The processing steps for bitter melon include washing, slicing, removing seeds, and blanching — a more complicated procedure. Moreover, due to bitter melon’s low juice yield, under a high volume of orders, staff almost became non-stop juicing machines.
Especially during the National Day holiday, orders across all Heytea outlets surged, and the demand for fruit and vegetable beverages also skyrocketed. Many employees admitted that they had to process over ten pounds of various fruits and vegetables a day. “Washing non-stop, chopping endlessly” became the norm. Some even joked that they were too busy to even catch their breath, and the pressure intensified even more with the introduction of new ingredients like beetroot.
Some staff pointed out that processing beetroot is even more difficult than bitter melon. First, the surface dirt must be thoroughly removed, followed by careful washing, peeling, and cutting into pieces, then blanching, before finally being juiced together with other ingredients like apples. This series of steps not only takes time but also easily causes splashes and stains during the process. Many kitchen workers joked that their work area looked like a “crime scene,” with red juice splattered everywhere.
In addition, due to the popularity of the new products, blenders are running almost around the clock, and failures have become frequent under high loads. Many employees reported that the blender jars, due to continuous overuse, even began to “smoke” or experience short-term malfunctions. Each incident required extra time for cleaning and repairs, further increasing the workload.
Although some staff have gradually adapted to the intense kitchen pace and developed quick-processing skills, many frontline employees still find it challenging to keep up with the constantly refreshed plant tea series. Some have even chosen to resign to escape such a high-pressure environment. However, for Heytea, these fruit and vegetable beverages have become indispensable bestsellers, and are unlikely to disappear from the menu anytime soon.
For Heytea’s kitchen staff, every new product launch is not just a market success but also represents another upgrade in their workload. While enjoying the popularity brought by healthy drinks, the pressure and challenges faced by the backend team also deserve more attention and understanding.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
