hey tea

Hey Tea is a popular Chinese tea brand known for its innovative drinks, including cheese-topped teas, fruit teas, and milk teas. Founded in 2012 in Jiangmen, Guangdong, it has grown rapidly and now has hundreds of stores across China and international locations.

Hey Tea is famous for its creative flavors, Instagram-worthy presentations, and unique cheese foam toppings. According to sources like South China Morning Post, Forbes, and Business of Fashion, Hey Tea has influenced the modern tea culture in Asia, inspiring new tea trends worldwide.

This blog explores the history, products, unique features, and global influence of Hey Tea.

What Is Hey Tea?

Hey Tea is a modern Chinese tea brand that blends traditional tea culture with contemporary flavors and design.

Key highlights:

Founded in 2012 in Jiangmen, Guangdong, China
Part of the New Tea Culture movement in China
Known for cheese-topped teas, fruit teas, and milk teas
Popular for creative seasonal flavors and unique presentation
Stores feature minimalist, Instagrammable interiors

Hey Tea appeals mainly to young consumers, often Millennials and Gen Z, who enjoy trendy beverages that are both tasty and visually appealing.

History of Hey Tea:

Hey Tea was founded by Nie Yunchen and his team in 2012. The brand began as a small shop in Jiangmen, Guangdong, but quickly gained popularity for its unique tea drinks.

Key Milestones

2012: First store opened in Jiangmen, China
2015: The brand popularized the concept of cheese tea
2018: Hey Tea became a cultural phenomenon, with long lines at stores across major Chinese cities
2019–2020: Expanded internationally, including Singapore, Hong Kong, and other locations
2022–2023: Introduced seasonal limited-edition drinks, collaborating with local artists and brands

According to the South China Morning Post, Hey Tea’s success lies in innovative products, strong branding, and social media marketing.

What Makes Hey Tea Unique?

1. Cheese Tea

Cheese tea is Hey Tea’s signature innovation:

A layer of frothy cream cheese sits on top of tea
Slightly salty flavor contrasts with sweet or fruity tea
Popular for photos and videos on social media

Cheese tea has become a trend throughout Asia, inspiring many imitators.

2. Fruit Tea

Hey Tea offers a variety of fruit teas, including:

Strawberry
Mango
Passion fruit
Kumquat and lemon blends

The teas are often mixed with fresh fruit and ice, creating visually appealing and refreshing drinks.

3. Seasonal and Limited-Edition Drinks

Hey Tea frequently releases drinks for holidays and events, such as:

Mooncake-inspired teas for Mid-Autumn Festival
Summer fruit teas
Collaborations with pop culture icons

This keeps customers interested and creates hype around the brand.

4. Unique Store Experience

Hey Tea stores are minimalist, modern, and designed for photos:

Wooden or marble counters
Clean, bright interior lighting
Instagrammable displays

The brand has effectively combined taste, aesthetics, and social media marketing.

Popular Hey Tea Drinks:

1. Cheese Tea Series

Classic Black Tea with Cheese Foam
Matcha Latte with Cheese Foam
Fruit tea with Cheese Foam

2. Fruit Tea Series

Fresh Strawberry Tea
Mango Pomelo Tea
Lemon Kumquat Tea

3. Milk Tea Series

Brown Sugar Milk Tea
Taro Milk Tea
Royal Milk Tea

4. Seasonal Specials

Lychee and Rose Tea
Pumpkin Spice Tea
Limited-edition artist collaboration drinks

Hey Tea continuously innovates its menu to combine traditional tea flavors with new ingredients, appealing to adventurous drinkers.

Ingredients in Hey Tea:

The exact recipe varies, but Hey Tea drinks generally include:

High-quality black tea, green tea, or oolong tea
Fresh fruit, fruit puree, or fruit juice
Cheese foam (cream cheese, milk, whipped cream, a touch of salt)
Milk or non-dairy alternatives
Sweeteners like sugar or syrup

Many drinks use natural ingredients and fresh fruit, distinguishing Hey Tea from traditional bubble tea chains.

Health Considerations:

Hey Tea drinks are mostly high in sugar. For those concerned with health:

Some stores offer unsweetened or less sweet options
Fruit teas contain vitamins but may still have added sugar
Cheese tea has fat from cream cheese

Nutrition experts, according to sources like Harvard Health Publishing, recommend moderating sugary drinks for overall health. Hey Tea’s drinks are best enjoyed as an occasional treat rather than a daily beverage.

Hey Tea’s Global Influence:

1. Popularizing Cheese Tea

Hey Tea helped introduce cheese tea to Asia and beyond. The unique combination of tea and cheese foam has become a trend across Instagram, TikTok, and Weibo.

2. Social Media Marketing

The brand actively uses social media to:

Promote new flavors
Announce store openings
Feature user-generated content

This strategy has attracted millions of young followers and encouraged viral marketing.

3. Collaborations

Hey Tea has partnered with artists, brands, and cultural events to create limited-edition drinks and merchandise, strengthening brand visibility and lifestyle appeal.

4. International Expansion

Hey Tea has opened stores in:

Singapore
Hong Kong
Macau
Thailand

The brand plans further expansion, aiming to popularize modern tea culture worldwide

Evidence and High-Site Reference Mentions:

South China Morning Post — Hey Tea history and popularity in China
Forbes — Business strategy, branding, and international expansion
Business of Fashion — Impact on lifestyle and consumer trends
Harvard Health Publishing — Sugar content in beverages
Tea Association of the USA — Global tea trends and modern tea culture

Why Hey Tea Is So Popular:

Trendy and innovative drinks
Signature cheese tea
Wide selection of fruit teas and milk teas
Social media marketing and visual appeal
Creative seasonal drinks and collaborations
High-quality tea leaves and fresh ingredients

The combination of taste, style, and shareability makes Hey Tea appealing to young, urban consumers.

Take Away:

Hey Tea represents the new era of tea culture, blending traditional tea with creative, Instagram-worthy drinks. Its cheese tea and fruit teas have become cultural icons in Asia, inspiring new trends in beverage innovation.

Quality, creativity, and social media engagement, Hey Tea has captured the hearts of millions of young consumers.

Hey Tea is more than just a drink — it is a lifestyle brand that symbolizes modern tea enjoyment.

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Hey Tea | Trendsetting Cheese Tea & Creative Flavors