Competition and Development of Chinese New Tea Brands in the Southeast Asian Market

China's new tea beverage industry has grown over the past decade, with a market size nearing 200 billion yuan, and a high rate of chain store penetration among food and beverage categories. However, competition in the "10,000-store era" is intensifying, forcing brands to choose between fighting for market share in lower-tier cities or going global.

Southeast Asia has become the preferred destination for new tea beverage brands going overseas, often referred to as the "Jerusalem" of this industry. The success of brands like CHAGEE and Mixue Bingcheng in Malaysia and Indonesia demonstrates the effectiveness of both high-end and mass-market approaches. CHAGEE integrates tea culture with offline spaces, while Mixue Bingcheng wins with high cost-effectiveness and catchy marketing.

The Southeast Asian tea beverage market lags behind China by 5-10 years, making the time machine theory applicable here. Chinese brands, leveraging their first-mover advantage and mature supply chains, have quickly captured the market. Mixue Bingcheng, utilizing resources from the OV system, has adopted an aggressive franchising strategy, resulting in over 4,000 stores.

However, Taiwanese tea brands and local Southeast Asian brands are also stepping up their efforts. Although Taiwanese brands have declined in mainland China, they still hold competitive positions in Southeast Asia. Local brands like Estch Indonesia and Haus are rising rapidly, employing low-price strategies.

While new tea beverage brands face multiple challenges in expanding to Southeast Asia, they are expected to continue growing, thanks to creative marketing, supply chain advantages, and the time machine theory. The Southeast Asian market holds significant potential, and future competition is likely to become even more intense.