Chinese tea chain debuts in Thailand with outlet in Bangkok

Chagee Thailand CEO Aphichat Chuanchaiwong told a press conference on Friday that the company plans to open 10 more branches in Bangkok next year and has a revenue target of 50 million baht.

Even though there are many domestic and international tea shops, particularly bubble tea, in Thailand's market, there is still room for new players, Apichat said, citing market research by Chagee that valued the market here at 26 billion baht. The research found a lack of premium tea drinks made from high-quality ingredients, which created an opportunity for Chagee, said Aphichat.

Even consumers of bubble milk tea expect it to contain high-quality, healthy ingredients, Apichat said.

He described the chain’s concept as “Chinese Chic”, saying it only uses genuine Chinese tea from its own organic farm near Kunming, Yunnan province, “the birthplace of tea”.

Chagee launched in southwestern China in 2017 and rapidly expanded throughout the country before expanding regionwide. It now has more than 500 branches in Asia.