CHAGEE

CHAGEE is a global tea beverage brand founded in Yunnan, China, in 2017 by Zhang Junjie. The brand's name and original logo are inspired by the classic Chinese opera 'Farewell My Concubine'. Zhang's journey began without higher education but with extensive experience in the tea industry, starting as a bubble tea store apprentice and working his way up. Inspired by the success of other modern tea chains, he launched CHAGEE, focusing on a differentiated product: fresh whole-leaf tea combined with fresh milk.

The company's first store opened in Kunming, Yunnan, on November 17, 2017. CHAGEE expanded internationally early on, opening its first overseas stores in Malaysia and Singapore in 2019. In 2021, the company relocated its headquarters from Kunming to Chengdu and underwent a significant brand upgrade, introducing the English name "CHAGEE" and a new logo. A major milestone occurred in 2022 when the company redefined its product line to focus on the "fresh milk tea" category, rebranding a key product as "Boya Juexian," which sold over 230 million cups in 2023. By 2024, the company established a dual-headquarters structure in Chengdu and Shanghai to manage domestic and overseas business, respectively. In April 2025, the holding company listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker CHA.

CHAGEE operates on a franchise model, which it terms the '1+1+9+N' model. This involves establishing a central headquarters and a local team to open nine directly-managed stores to test the market before opening it up to an unlimited number of franchisees. This strategy allows for rapid, controlled expansion while ensuring brand and operational consistency. Revenue is generated from product sales through its extensive network of over 6,400 teahouses worldwide. The company targets a younger, health-conscious demographic by providing transparent nutritional information for its products, such as calorie counts and GI values. Its business model leverages technology for efficiency, with automated tea-making machines capable of preparing orders quickly and a digital operations system for managing stores.

Keywords: fresh milk tea, modern tea house, oriental tea, beverage chain, franchise business model, global expansion, Chinese tea culture, Zhang Junjie, Nasdaq listed, bubble tea, tea beverage, food and beverage, retail expansion, Southeast Asia market, US market