In just one year, HEYTEA has expanded its overseas store count by over sixfold, growing from 2 to more than 30 stores in the US, carving out a new tea beverage battleground in Starbucks' backyard through its unique brand momentum and supply chain capabilities.

On August 1, local time, HEYTEA officially opened its store on Main Street in Cupertino, California, USA. This location, home to Apple's headquarters, is the heart of Silicon Valley.

HEYTEA has become the first new tea beverage brand to establish a presence in Apple's headquarters city.

Inspired by the concept of "Woodland Tea Aroma, Natural Harmony," this new store integrates tea culture, modern social settings, and a technological context. It also launched a全新限定饮品 new limited-time beverage: the 'iYerba' Mate Tea Smoothie.

01 Global Layout: The 100-Store Milestone and Market Selection

As of early August 2025, HEYTEA's total number of overseas stores has exceeded 100, reaching 124. Over the past year, its overseas store count has grown more than sixfold, marking an entry into a phase of rapid development.

HEYTEA has now entered 8 overseas countries – the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan – as well as the Chinese regions of Hong Kong and Macao, covering 28 overseas cities.

Expansion in the US market has been particularly rapid, with the store count surging from 2 to over 30, making HEYTEA the fastest-growing and largest new tea beverage brand in the United States.

02 Location Strategy: Focus on Landmark Business Districts

HEYTEA's overseas strategy concentrates on global core cities and landmark business districts.

Its locations include cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham in the UK; New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington in the US; Toronto and Vancouver in Canada; and Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane in Australia.

Within the US, HEYTEA focuses on high-potential coastal areas, securing prime spots in locations like Hollywood, Cupertino (Apple's HQ), and the South Coast Plaza in Los Angeles.

03 Products & Marketing: Localized Innovation and Cross-Brand Collaborations

HEYTEA implements a combined strategy of "Classic Offerings + Localized Specials" in overseas markets.

Its classic product "Coconut Mango" has sold nearly 2.5 million cups overseas, with the US market contributing over 1 million cups. Global cumulative sales for "Grape Cheezo" and "Mango Pomelo Sago" have also surpassed one million cups each.

Since 2025, HEYTEA has accelerated the simultaneous launch of popular new products from China into overseas markets. Over 10 products, including "Kale Body Reset Bottle," "Refreshing Guava Grape," "Milky Jasmine," and "Triple Rich Matcha," have landed overseas.

HEYTEA has also introduced more than 20 beverages created exclusively for overseas markets. For example, "Cloudy Blue Coconut Matcha," featuring superfoods like blue spirulina, coconut water, and matcha, sold out upon launch in countries like the US, UK, and Canada, becoming the first breakout hit phenomenon among new tea brands expanding abroad.

HEYTEA continuously engages in cross-over collaborations with globally renowned artists and trendy brands, such as alexanderwang, Sandy Liang, Tears of Themis, and Yayoi Kusama, strengthening the brand's cross-cultural appeal.

04 Supply Chain & Operations: Systematic Development and Localized Sourcing

HEYTEA is the first and currently the only new tea beverage brand to build a systematic supply chain overseas.

It has established multiple storage centers on the US East and West Coasts, in the UK, Malaysia, and in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, providing efficient warehousing and logistics services for local stores.

In the US, HEYTEA has formed deep partnerships with leading suppliers like Sysco, achieving localized sourcing for 13 core categories including milk and fruits. The North American supply chain team addressed pain points like dairy product stability and fruit freshness by establishing a "Regional Central Warehouse + Forward Warehouse" model.

HEYTEA has set up a specialized local team in the US covering key functions like brand marketing, product R&D, operations management, supply chain management, and quality control to ensure consistent store operation standards and customer experience.

Regarding digitalization, in January 2025, HEYTEA launched its self-operated delivery service in the US, integrating "Dine-in, Takeaway, and Delivery" into a full-scenario model, making it the only new tea beverage brand in the US with its own delivery system.

05 Investment & Challenges: Upfront Costs and Operational Pressure

The initial investment to open a HEYTEA store in European and American markets ranges between $400,000 and $800,000, rising to as high as $1.2 million in some areas due to increased labor costs.

These costs cover the franchise fee, initial service fee, security deposit, fit-out budget, royalty fees, service fees, equipment, materials, rent, etc. Monthly rent averages around $20,000, each store requires a staff of about 6 people, and the average monthly labor cost per person is about $4,000.

The store opening approval process in the US is lengthy, taking 9-12 months. Site selection alone can take 3 months, drawing approval normally requires 3-5 months, and construction takes another 3-5 months.

Food-related businesses face high certification costs, with import certification alone potentially costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

06 Market Performance: Queuing Frenzies and Sales Figures

HEYTEA's overseas stores, particularly in Europe and America, have achieved remarkable sales performance.

The HEYTEA LAB store in Times Square, New York, which opened earlier this year, sold over 3,500 cups on its first day and maintains a stable daily average of over 2,000 cups. The Flushing Main St store, opened in 2024, sold nearly 3,300 cups on its third day post-opening. The San Jose Hostetter location maintains daily sales exceeding its initial opening levels, even during the off-season.

Videos of "queuing for 2 hours to buy a drink" have spread widely on overseas social media, with some US consumers even stating they "never thought a Chinese tea drink could be more addictive than coffee."

The success behind HEYTEA, which sold 3,500 cups on its first day at the Times Square LAB store and maintains a daily average of over 2,000 cups, stems from establishing warehouses on both US coasts, partnering with suppliers like Sysco for localized sourcing of 13 core categories, and developing over 20 region-specific beverages for the North American market.

HEYTEA's overseas journey demonstrates that Chinese brands can export not just supply chains, but also brand value and cultural identity.