Chinese Brands in the U.S.

In recent years, Chinese new consumer brands have been accelerating their global expansion. Particularly in the US market, leading brands in the bubble tea, beverage, and snack sectors have been frequently making moves, gaining favor not only within Chinese communities but also gradually entering the mainstream American market. This article summarizes the latest developments of several popular brands and considers the implications for other Chinese brands.

🍵 New Tea Beverage Brands

✨ HEYTEA

• July 2024: Opened its first US West Coast store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, quickly becoming a popular social media check-in spot.

• September 2024: Entered New York's Herald Square and collaborated with designer Sandy Liang during NYFW, launching a limited-edition drink series and merchandise, successfully reaching more young local customers.

• August 2025: Opened a new store on Main Street in Cupertino, California, bringing its total US store count to over 35, primarily concentrated in New York, New Jersey, and California.

• Highlight: Utilizing a dual strategy of "fashion collaborations + flagship stores in core business districts," HEYTEA quickly built brand awareness and cultivated a "youthful, trendy" image among mainstream consumers.

🌿 CHAGEE

• April 2025: Successfully listed on NASDAQ (ticker: CHA), raising approximately $411 million, providing capital and brand endorsement for global expansion.

• May 2025: Officially opened its first US store at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. The store design blends Eastern aesthetics with a modern retail experience, attracting large queues on opening day.

• Highlight: Leveraging capital market backing and a landmark flagship store, CHAGEE not only secured its Chinese customer base but also piqued the curiosity and interest of American consumers through Eastern cultural elements.

🍹 Mixue Bingcheng

• September 2025: Officially announced its first US store at 266 Canal Street in Manhattan, New York, marking another significant market entry following its global expansion.

• Highlight: As the "Chinese tea chain with the most stores globally," Mixue chose a Chinese-centric neighborhood in NYC for its debut, aiming to secure its core customer base first before planning further penetration into the mainstream market.

🥤 Beverage & Snack Brands

💧 Genki Forest (Chi Forest)

• Starting January 2025: Entered 591 Costco stores across the US and 109 in Canada, accessing mainstream channels directly with multi-flavor sparkling water packs.

• Highlight: By leveraging Costco's national network, Genki Forest skipped the initial phase of being "limited to Asian supermarkets" and entered the mainstream US retail system directly, setting a benchmark for efficient overseas expansion of Chinese beverage brands.

💧 Nongfu Spring

• Early 2025: Purchased industrial property in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA, planning to develop water-related projects. This also sparked widespread discussion and scrutiny locally regarding water resources and potential national security concerns.

• Highlight: Nongfu Spring's decision to invest and build factories in the US demonstrates a commitment to deeply cultivating the overseas market long-term. It also serves as a reminder to all expanding brands: compliance and community communication are core issues that must be addressed proactively.

🍬 Hsu Fu Chi

• Already sells some products through US Walmart channels and has entered Asian e-commerce platforms like Weee! and Yami, gradually building brand recognition.

• Highlight: Its dual-channel strategy of "mainstream retail + Asian e-commerce platforms" enables low-cost reach to both Chinese and mainstream consumers.

🐿️ Three Squirrels

• Launched an official brand store on Amazon US, listing multiple nut snack products, primarily relying on cross-border e-commerce.

• Highlight: Fully utilizes Amazon's platform effect, using an "online flagship store" approach for brand exposure and market testing.

📌 Key Insights from the Global Expansion

• Phased Market Entry: Most brands choose to start in Chinese communities and high-traffic business districts before gradually penetrating the mainstream market (e.g., Mixue starting in NYC's Chinatown, HEYTEA/CHAGEE directly targeting landmark districts in LA/NY).

• Channel Breakthroughs: Beverage and snack brands leverage platforms like Costco, Walmart, Amazon, and Weee! to quickly open large-scale distribution channels.

• Blending Culture & Localization: HEYTEA's NYFW collaboration and CHAGEE's Eastern aesthetic spaces show how Chinese brands use cultural elements to resonate with young American consumers.

• Importance of Capital & Compliance: CHAGEE used its IPO to strengthen its international credibility; Nongfu Spring's land investment highlights that brands must prioritize compliance and community communication when expanding overseas.

✨ Conclusion

From the "Big Three Bubble Tea" brands to beverage and snack giants, Chinese brands are entering the US market with greater speed and flexibility. By first capturing ethnic consumer groups, then leveraging mainstream channels and cross-border marketing to break through cultural circles, they ultimately achieve genuine localization and internationalization.

This is the story for HEYTEA, CHAGEE, Mixue, Genki Forest, Nongfu Spring, Hsu Fu Chi, and Three Squirrels. It also provides a valuable reference path for more Chinese brands planning their own voyage out.