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Tealive makes debut with opening first store in China

By Sarah ChenChina
1 min read
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Malaysian bubble-tea brand Tealive has launched the first of 500 stores planned for China. Located inside SML Center in Shanghai’s Huangpu district, the store attracted long queues on the opening day. “With China being the world’s largest tea market and the fourth overseas market for Tealive, we decided to create a specific menu for China to showcase Southeast Asian ingredients including durian, cempedak, gula melaka, Bentong ginger and Sabah-origin tea,” said Tealive’s parent company Loob CEO Bryan Loo.

“More outlets will be opened in Shanghai and we plan to have 20 outlets in China by June next year,” he added.

Loob had entered into a joint venture with two Chinese companies, Zhejiang Boduo International Trade and Shanghai Panfei International Trade to open 500 stores in China within three years.

Tealive makes debut with opening first store in China

After the dispute with Chatime, Tealive has expanded to overseas markets. It entered Vietnam last October, and now has six stores in the country, with two more planned by the end of this year.

The brand also expanded into Australia in July, with its first store opening in Melbourne.

In India, Loob has appointed a master franchisee with the target of opening 200 outlets within five years.

Questions & Answers

Q.

How many Tealive stores are planned for China in total, and what is the timeline for this expansion?

A.

Tealive plans to open 500 stores across China within three years. They have entered a joint venture with two Chinese companies to achieve this large-scale expansion in the market.

Q.

Which specific menu items has Tealive introduced in China to cater to local tastes?

A.

Tealive created a specific menu for China, showing Southeast Asian ingredients. These include durian, cempedak, gula melaka, Bentong ginger, and Sabah-origin tea, tailored for the local market.

Q.

In which other international markets has Tealive recently expanded, besides China?

A.

Tealive has recently expanded into Vietnam, where it opened its first store last October and now has six. The brand also launched in Australia in July with a store in Melbourne, and has a master franchisee in India.

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