Introduction:HEYTEA’s classic drink “Multi-Fruit Grape” has topped sales charts since its launch in 2018, with its unique hand-peeled grape preparation process winning widespread acclaim from customers. However, the preparation process behind this popular beverage is full of challenges — staff must peel and de-seed each grape individually, a task that becomes even more laborious when dealing with varieties that are particularly seedy or have thick skins. This article takes an in-depth look at the manual production process of Multi-Fruit Grape, the real working experiences of employees, and the reasons why the brand insists on manual handling.

Since its launch in 2018, HEYTEA’s popular “Multi-Fruit Grape” drink has consistently ranked high in the brand’s sales charts, thanks to its refreshing taste and unique manual processing technique. It has remained a customer favorite for years. The highlight of this beverage lies in the fact that every grape is manually peeled and de-seeded, ensuring that what reaches the mouth is nothing but delicate fruit flesh — no annoying grape skins or seeds — delivering pure fruit aroma and a rich, chewy texture.

For consumers, the practice of hand-peeling grapes enhances the overall quality and feel of the drink. Not only does the fruit flesh have a better mouthfeel, but it also retains more of the fruit’s original flavor. Paired with freshly pressed grape juice, the overall flavor becomes even more refreshing and natural. However, behind the counter, this method of preparation presents a significant challenge for employees.

To maintain drink quality, each outlet must pre-peel and de-seed the grapes in advance, then add freshly squeezed grape juice to enhance the aroma. The entire process includes washing, manual peeling, de-seeding, and appropriate mashing — all relying entirely on manual labor. It is not only time-consuming but also demands a high level of concentration. A staff member recently complained on social media that recently delivered grapes were “unreasonably seedy,” with some individual grapes containing as many as five seeds, greatly increasing the difficulty of removal. The workload becomes even heavier during promotional periods when order volumes spike.

In addition to the issue of excessive seeds, the grape variety also plays a key role in determining workload. According to brand planning, as summer draws to a close, the commonly used Kyoho grapes will gradually be phased out. They will be replaced by Summer Black grapes, which are also suitable for making Multi-Fruit Grape. However, due to their tighter skins and smaller berries, they are even more labor-intensive to process. A veteran employee bluntly stated that the skin of Summer Black grapes is “so hard to peel it’s frustrating,” often leaving barely any flesh after prolonged peeling. For store preparation staff, it is undoubtedly a “nightmare.”

As for why automated equipment hasn’t been introduced to reduce the manpower burden, multiple industry insiders noted that although some fruit peeling machines are available on the market, they still require manual rechecking afterward, and the machines are cumbersome to clean. Overall efficiency is not necessarily higher than manual processing. Moreover, automatic machines struggle to precisely control de-seeding and maintain fruit flesh integrity, which may affect the final taste of the drink and the customer experience. Therefore, the brand continues to insist on manual processing to ensure consistent quality in every cup of Multi-Fruit Grape.

All in all, the reason why HEYTEA’s Multi-Fruit Grape has received long-term praise in the market is not just because of its unique flavor, but also due to the brand’s dedication and attention to detail in the production process. However, such high standards also place considerable pressure on back-of-house staff, especially during variety transitions and promotional periods, when the task of hand-peeling grapes becomes even more arduous. Understanding these behind-the-scenes stories may encourage customers to show a little more appreciation for the effort that goes into enjoying a delicious drink.

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