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Chagee

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sichuan Chagee Enterprise Management Co., Ltd.
Native name
四川茶姬企业管理有限公司
Nasdaq: CHA
IndustryTea retail
FoundedJune 2017 (2017-06)
FounderZhang Junjie
Headquarters
Chengdu[1]
Number of locations
7,531 (2026)[2]
Key people
Zhang Junjie (CEO)
ProductsMilk tea
Websitechagee.com

Sichuan Chagee Enterprise Management Co., Ltd., branded as CHAGEE, is a Chinese milk tea chain. It was founded in Yunnan in June 2017 by Zhang Junjie.[3] Its Chinese name, 霸王茶姬 (pinyin: Bà Wáng chájī), is based on the traditional Chinese opera The Hegemon-King Bids His Lady Farewell (Chinese: 霸王别姬; pinyin: Bà Wáng Bié Jī), with the logo based on a huadan opera actor.[4]

Its signature product is milk tea, made with fresh milk added to whole-leaf tea, named after ancient Chinese poems.[3][4] Drinks are generally priced at RMB 20 (US$2.78) for large sizes, and RMB 16 (USD 2.22) for small sizes.[3] The chain has been described as aiming to be the 'Oriental Starbucks', while previously resembling the style and products of Changsha-based milk tea chain Chayan Yuese. Its bags have also been compared to Dior packaging.[5][6] The company operates on a franchising model.[5]

History

[edit]

Founder Zhang Junjie was born into poverty in Kunming, Yunnan and became an orphan at age 10.[7] He never attended higher education, and started working as a milk tea store apprentice when he was 17. Within 5 years, Zhang was promoted to the level of regional supervisor and became a franchise partner of the milk tea brand.[7] He later gained experience in corporate governance while working at a Shanghai-based startup.[5] After witnessing the opening of a Hey Tea store, in 2017 he started Chagee in Kunming.[6]

In 2021, Chagee moved its headquarters to Chengdu from Kunming.[8] In 2024, the company adopted a dual-headquarters arrangement, with the general headquarters remaining in Chengdu and the overseas business management office located in Shanghai.[9][10]

During the 2024 Summer Olympics, Chagee operated a pop-up store in Paris.[11]

Media outlets estimated Chagee's annual revenue to be RMB 500 million in 2022.[3] In 2023 the company opened 2,317 new outlets,[6] reaching RMB 10.8 billion in revenue.[12] In December 2025, there were over 7,000 Chagee stores worldwide, of which 200 were in overseas markets,[13] and the company reported a net revenue of RMB 12.91 billion (US $1,845.7 million) for 2025.[2]

APAC expansion

[edit]
Chagee sign language store in Singapore
Chagee store in Jakarta

In 2019 the company opened stores in Singapore and Malaysia, its first stores outside of China.[4][14] Chagee first entered the Singapore market under a franchise partnership model, expanding to twelve outlets island-wide by 2021.[15] In early 2024, Chagee withdrew its franchise operations in Singapore as part of a decision to transition to company-owned outlets. It re-opened in Singapore in August 2024 with store locations at Orchard Gateway, Plaza Singapura, and Raffles Place.[14] In May 2025, Chagee opened its first sign language store in Singapore at the National University of Singapore (NUS).[16] As of 2024, Singapore served as Chagee's Southeast Asia headquarters.[15]

Chagee opened its first location in Malaysia in the capital of Kuala Lumpur in August 2019[17] under the name BaWangChaJi. The company changed the name to Chagee Malaysia in 2021.[18] By 2024, Chagee operated over 100 stores in Malaysia.[14][19]

Chagee's first store in Thailand opened in 2022.[20] By 2025, Chagee had opened additional stores in Thailand, including one on the 74th floor of the King Power Mahanakhon skyscraper in Bangkok.[19][21]

In 2025, Chagee opened new locations in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam,[22][21][23] including its first pet-friendly store in the Philippines.[24] Chagee operated 207 company-owned and 138 franchised teahouses outside of China as of December 2025.[2]

In May 2026, Chagee opened its first three stores in South Korea.[25]

US expansion

[edit]

On April 17, 2025, Chagee raised $411 million through its initial public offering in the United States.[26][27] On its Nasdaq debut the same day, Chagee stock closed at $33.75 per share, bringing the company's valuation to $6.2 billion.[28]

Chagee opened its first US location in April 2025 at the Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles.[29][30] The company's US headquarters are located in Irvine, California.[31] As of February 2026, Chagee operated six US stores, all located in Southern California: Brea, Culver City, Del Amo, Long Beach, Mission Viejo, and Torrance.[32][33] For its US locations, Chagee launched an evening tea service in 2025 that includes a tea sommelier and a flight of several types of tea.[32][34]

Controversies

[edit]

Malaysia 'Tear & Win' rigging controversy

[edit]

In November 2024, Chagee held a 'Tear & Win' lottery as part of 7th anniversary commemoration of the brand's presence in Malaysia. A Malaysian Twitter user, naquib uploaded a viral video of Chagee staff member at an undisclosed Chagee outlet "checking" the special cups to identify what was printed on the small paper tabs inside. The incident raised suspicion among internet users about possible lottery manipulation. After the video went viral, Chagee Malaysia announced legal action against naquib for defamation, demanding the user to remove the video immediately to protect the privacy of the company's staff.[35]

After causing uproar among Malaysians, Chagee would later issue an apology and stated the behaviour does not reflect the company standard. In order to prevent such incident from happening again, Chagee has switched the gift system from giving up physical items directly into QR code slips.[36]

Nine-dash line controversies

[edit]

As Chagee was scheduled to open its first Vietnamese outlet, it was caught in a controversy surrounding the depiction of the controversial nine-dash line in its mobile application. The map has caused uproar among Vietnamese internet users with many has called for boycott against the chain. After the map image went viral, the outlet that was set to open in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City removed the brand signage and replaced it with black background with a Vietnamese flag seen waving in front of a small door.[37][38]

Aside from Vietnam, the brand depiction of the map has also caused ire in Malaysia. Malaysian internet users has also calling for a boycott against the brand. A Facebook page "Malaysian-souled Chinese" is the one who are leading the charge against the move citing the company has insulted Malaysian sovereignty over the region.[39]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "霸王茶姬上市，股票代码：CHA！创始人为95后，总部在成都". finance.sina.com.cn. April 19, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Chagee Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Unaudited Financial Results". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. March 31, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Dong, Cheyenne (July 16, 2024). "Chinese bubble tea maker Chagee reportedly hires Starbucks talent, mulls US IPO · TechNode". TechNode. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 张文芳. "Tea brands widen their reach, placing Southeast Asia high on the agenda". global.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "FoodTalks全球食品资讯网". www.foodtalks.cn. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "霸王茶姬，太急了 | Foodaily每日食品". www.foodaily.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Yanin, Alice (November 28, 2025). "The marriage of a self-made milk tea brand founder to the daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur captured public fascination". South China Morning Post. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  8. ↑ "霸王茶姬，上海总部开业了". 36kr (in Chinese).
  9. ↑ "霸王茶姬上市，股票代码：CHA！创始人为95后，总部在成都". finance.sina.com.cn (in Chinese). April 19, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  10. ↑ "霸王茶姬，上海总部开业了-36氪". 36kr.com (in Chinese). April 20, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Chagee and Heytea's Paris pop-ups drew crowds amid Olympic buzz". KrASIA. August 15, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  12. ↑ Yan, Kaiwen (May 23, 2024). "Can CHAGEE surpass Starbucks China this year? The secrets behind CHAGEE's business is significant". Dao Insights. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Chinese tea chain Chagee to keep premium prices despite rising competition from affordable brands". VnExpress International. Archived from the original on November 9, 2025. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 "Tea brand Chagee makes Singapore comeback months after sudden exit, to offer new concept at 3 stores". AsiaOne. May 30, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  15. 1 2 Teo, Jayme (October 2, 2024). "CHAGEE returns months after its sudden exit in S'pore, we spoke to their execs to get the tea". Vulcan Post. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Chagee opens sign-language store at NUS supporting deaf community". AsiaOne. June 20, 2025. Archived from the original on June 20, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  17. ↑ Zhao, Ruinan (August 1, 2022). "Southeast Asia clamors for China's milk tea". China Daily. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Magma aims to grow Chagee's tea business". New Straits Times. May 17, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  19. 1 2 Shuyi, Jie (July 14, 2025). "Chinese Tea Chain Chagee Sells Controlling Stake in Thai Unit to Speed Up Overseas Growth". Yicai Global. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Chinese tea chain debuts in Thailand with outlet in Bangkok". nationthailand. December 23, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  21. 1 2 "CHAGEE expands with new sky-high outlet in Thailand". QSR Media Asia. October 17, 2025. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  22. ↑ Yohannan, Rachel (October 30, 2025). "Chagee's new concept store opens in a Chinatown shophouse with murals, merchandise, and cultural workshops". Time Out Singapore. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  23. ↑ Magbanua, Djan (March 9, 2026). "CHAGEE targets prime sites to drive Asia-Pacific expansion". MSN. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  24. ↑ "CHAGEE opens first SEA pet-friendly store; Pizza Hut announces new Pop Mart collaboration; Starbucks Malaysia announces year-end clearance sale". QSR Media Asia. December 9, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Chinese tea brand Bawang Chaji takes S. Korea by storm, drawing hours-long queues at Seoul stores". english.dotdotnews.com. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Chinese tea chain Chagee CEO becomes a billionaire after US$411 million US IPO". The Business Times. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  27. ↑ Murdoch, Scott (April 17, 2025). "Chinese tea firm Chagee raises $411 million in US IPO". Reuters.
  28. ↑ Bhandari, Ateev. "Chinese tea chain Chagee valued at $6.2 billion as shares pop in Nasdaq debut". Reuters. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  29. ↑ Wakabayashi, Daisuke; Dong, Joy (December 1, 2025). "Get Ready, America: Here Come China's Food and Drink Chains". New York Times. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  30. ↑ Roland, Rebecca (April 24, 2025). "China's Most Popular Tea Shop Opens Its First U.S. Location in Los Angeles". Eater Los Angeles. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  31. ↑ Jennings, Lisa (March 27, 2025). "Another big beverage company from China is plotting U.S. expansion". Restaurant Business. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  32. 1 2 "Brewing Belonging at CHAGEE". Los Angeles Business Journal. February 25, 2026. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  33. ↑ Hernandez, Maya (March 9, 2026). "CHAGEE Modern Teahouse opens new location at The Shops at Mission Viejo". Lariat Saddleback College. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  34. ↑ Cunningham, Waylon; Hall, Casey (December 18, 2025). "Chinese tea brands aim to convert coffee drinkers in US expansion". Independent. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  35. ↑ Bahrom, Shahril (November 19, 2024). "Here's The Tea On Chagee Malaysia's Contest Controversy". therakyatpost.com.
  36. ↑ Renushara, Renushara (November 19, 2024). ""We will switch to QR codes" – Here's All You Need to Know About the CHAGEE Incident Going Viral Now". worldofbuzz.com.
  37. ↑ Dong, Irene (March 17, 2025). "Chagee faces boycott ahead of Vietnam opening". insideretail.asia. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  38. ↑ "Chagee VN store removes branding after public criticism over sovereignty issue". vietnamnet.vn. March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  39. ↑ Azmi, Hadi (March 19, 2025). "Backlash brews in Malaysia over Chagee app's South China Sea map used by Beijing". scmp.com. South China Morning Post. Retrieved March 19, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
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