A ‘New Asian Tea’ Company – taking the UK by Storm with Drinks like ‘Yumberry Boom’ & ‘Cheese Green Tea’ – is Joining Forces with the UK’s Historic Royal Opera House in First of its kind Partnership Innovation meets Heritage: HEYTEA and the Royal Ballet and Opera launch an exclusive cultural collaboration
Time limited pop-up showcases new partnership model between a UK heritage site and a booming Asian brand
London, 4 September 2024: A “New Asian Tea” brand rapidly expanding in the UK has launched its most groundbreaking collaboration in the market to date by partnering with the Royal Ballet and Opera with a pop-up store inside the historic building in Covent Garden.
From 04/09-22/09, premium tea brand HEYTEA will offer its best-selling drinks such as “Cheese Grape Boom” and “Supreme Brown Sugar Bobo Milk Tea”, to theatre-goers and tea lovers alike in the Royal Ballet and Opera’s Linbury Foyer. No ticket is needed to visit this exclusive HEYTEA pop-up which includes a one-off, limited-edition tea inspired by the return of ZooNation’s The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party to the Royal Ballet and Opera stage. This is the first time HEYTEA has created an exclusive drink in the UK, which will feature Chocolate Cheese Foam on top, Red BlossomMilk Tea in the middle, and Brown Sugar Boba at the bottom. Together the Royal Ballet and Opera and HEYTEA have also created merchandise exclusively for the event.
In the past year alone, the UK has been hit by an enormous growth in the Asian tea market:
- The global bubble tea market size was valued at USD 2.46 billion in 2023, with the UK gaining traction.
- HEYTEA, the bubble tea disrupter, saw its best-selling drink, Coconut Mango Boom, achieve a more than 10-fold year-on-year increase in sales volume.
- A new large concept store was opened by the brand on New Oxford Street, London, just at the end of July.
Such is the rising popularity of these drinks among UK consumers that HEYTEA is opening 3 new UK stores in the second half of the year alone – one in Leeds, one in Southampton and another in London. This takes the total number of stores opened by HEYTEA in the UK to 12 by the end of this year.
The innovative brand collaboration between one of the UK’s best known heritage cultural institutions and a globally renowned leading New Asian Style Tea brand offers a more diverse audience to taste the premium Asian Tea drinks, alongside an energetic and modern live performance in an iconic setting.
Yujia Gu, Vice President of Global Strategy and Business Development for HEYTEAsaid “We are thrilled to have this exclusive partnership with the Royal Ballet and Opera for an upcoming pop-up experience. We are incredibly confident in the appeal of HEYTEA to this new audience and think of ourselves as a trendsetting brand. The Pop-Up will be featuring our bestselling teas along with a limited-edition blend inspired by this unique occasion. We have no doubt that this collaboration will bring immense joy to customers.”
Jane Storie, Commercial Director of the Royal Ballet and Opera, said “There’s something for everyone at the Royal Ballet and Opera, and we’re excited to deliver this first of its kind partnership with HEYTEA for our new and existing audiences to enjoy. HEYTEA is a vibrant, best-selling brand, and this pop-up is one of the many ways the Royal Ballet and Opera is bringing world-class experiences to people on and off the stage.”
Founded by 19-year-old Neo Nie Yunchen in 2012, HEYTEA’s innovative approach has seen it grow from a humble 300-square foot tea shop to a pioneer in “New Asian Tea” with over 4,100 stores across 300 cities worldwide. The brand recently hosted a pop-up store in Paris during the Olympic period, with more concept stores planned for Australia, the USA, and South Korea. HEYTEA’s leadership in the new tea era has catapulted the brand into the global spotlight, capturing the interest of Gen-Z customers worldwide.
The brand is committed to using the finest fresh ingredients, with no artificial flavours; this means the drinks are a healthier alternative to many other milk or bubble teas in the market. HEYTEA has also switched to organic milk andoffers customers a 0-calorie sweetener option.
HEYTEA is known for its continual reframing of traditional tea culture – placing innovation at the heart of its appeal. Its Cheese Tea – a blend of cheese foam and fresh tea – is just one example of HEYTEA daring its customers to drink differently and pursuing its brand mission of bringing joy and inspiration through its beverages.
For more information about HEYTEA, please visit https://www.heytea.com/
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