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‘We’re not a bubble tea brand’: Chagee aims to double Asia-Pacific footprint to 600 stores by 2027

Localisation and securing prime store locations are key priorities as the brand expands in the region, says its Apac CMO

Paige Lim
Published Thu, Apr 30, 2026 · 07:00 AM
    • Eugene Lee, chief marketing officer of Chagee (Asia-Pacific), says that even though tea is the world's second-most consumed beverage, it has not experienced “the same lifestyle elevation or premiumisation” that coffee has.
    • Chagee's VivoCity flagship store in Singapore. Lee aims to double Chagee’s store count in the Republic to 70 in the next three years.
    • Eugene Lee, chief marketing officer of Chagee (Asia-Pacific), says that even though tea is the world's second-most consumed beverage, it has not experienced “the same lifestyle elevation or premiumisation” that coffee has. PHOTO: TAY CHU YI, BT
    • Chagee's VivoCity flagship store in Singapore. Lee aims to double Chagee’s store count in the Republic to 70 in the next three years. PHOTO: TAY CHU YI, BT

    [SINGAPORE] Global Chinese tea chain Chagee is aiming to double its store count in the Asia-Pacific (Apac) to 600 over the next year, as it seeks to modernise the tea-drinking experience for the 21st century.

    Beyond China, the region represents “the lowest hanging fruit” for Chagee, given its strong tea-drinking culture, said Eugene Lee, chief marketing officer of Chagee Apac.

    “Apac holds huge potential for us, because it’s a big market where customers are looking for a premium experience when it comes to tea,” he told The Business Times in an interview.

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