Introduction:A "Tea Qi Fresh Brew" construction hoarding has appeared on the streets of Shanghai, sparking speculation about whether HEYTEA is venturing into the coffee business. In fact, it’s a new sub-brand under the company that focuses on "concentrated tea," using high-temperature, high-pressure technology similar to that of coffee machines to extract tea concentrate. This article takes an in-depth look at the product’s production principles, market positioning, and potential impact on the ready-to-drink beverage landscape, uncovering the secrets behind this emerging tea brewing technology.
Recently, at the Wujiang Road subway station in Shanghai, where a former Manner store once stood, a "Tea Qi Fresh Brew" hoarding has gone up. Its English signage closely resembles that of HEYTEA, and the eye-catching slogan "COFFEE OR TEAPRESSO?" led many passersby to speculate that the leading tea brand might be entering the coffee market. However, according to information from fans, Tea Qi Fresh Brew is actually a sub-brand of HEYTEA dedicated to "concentrated tea." Although the equipment used in-store resembles a semi-automatic coffee machine, it actually extracts tea concentrate through high-temperature, high-pressure technology, which is then mixed with dairy products. The product remains fundamentally categorized as a tea beverage.
Currently, Tea Qi Fresh Brew has opened two stores in Shanghai, and the Wujiang Road hoarding announces the upcoming arrival of a new location. Many netizens have drawn associations from the name and slogan, mistakenly believing that the brand is launching coffee products. Some even joked, "Taking the path of keeping you awake to the extreme," hinting at how HEYTEA drinks such as Boya Jue Xian and Wan Li Mu Lan, which contain caffeine, often make it hard for people to sleep at night.
Although there was initial speculation that this signaled HEYTEA’s move into the coffee category, the reality is that it represents an innovative extension of the brand’s tea beverage technology.Tea Qi Fresh Brew adopts a logic similar to that of espresso, extracting concentrated tea liquor from tea leaves using high temperature and high pressure.This method is fundamentally different from traditional pour over or steeping techniques, as it can release the deep flavors and aromas of tea leaves in a short amount of time, resulting in a beverage with richer and more layered tea taste.
Some on-site customers observed that the equipment in the store looks almost identical to a standard semi-automatic coffee machine, but the operational principle focuses onhigh-pressure extraction parametersfor tea leaves. It’s understood that both the pressure and temperature settings are adjusted specifically for the characteristics of tea to ensure the purity and mouthfeel of the tea concentrate. This technology not only enhances the intensity of the tea beverage but also gives the tea market a more specialized, coffee-like production image.
Industry insiders analyze that while this move does not directly enter the coffee category, through technological innovation and precise market positioning, Tea Qi Fresh Brew has the potential to carve out a new niche in the crowded tea beverage market.This concentrated tea technology not only improves the flavor performance of the beverage itself but may also influence consumers’ expectations for tea quality,further pushing the overall market toward higher quality and greater professionalism.
Currently, Tea Qi Fresh Brew’s two Shanghai stores have attracted many fans eager to try the new offering, and the new store hinted at by the hoarding has also generated high anticipation among consumers. Although some netizens are slightly disappointed that the brand hasn’t truly entered the coffee field, they remain highly interested in this innovative approach that combines tea beverages with concentrate technology. They believe that if more stores are opened in the future, it could help promote this emerging tea production process.
Overall, although Tea Qi Fresh Brew does not directly challenge the position of coffee brands, through technological innovation and market segmentation, it demonstrates HEYTEA’s ongoing exploration and evolution within the tea beverage sector. For consumers, this is not only a chance to experience a new flavor but also a sign of more professional and diverse changes that may come to the tea beverage market in the future.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
