The grand opening of Heytea (喜茶 Xi Cha) on North Rodeo Drive drew an unprecedented crowd, surpassing the foot traffic at nearby luxury stores such as Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Balenciaga. The line for the new Asian tea shop extended across the street to South Santa Monica Boulevard.
Founded in 2012 in Guangdong, China, by Neo Nie, then just 19 years old, Heytea has rapidly become a global sensation. The Beverly Hills location marks the tea chain’s first foray into the West Coast market, featuring a diverse menu of milk tea and fruit tea. Signature offerings include the Supreme Brown Sugar Bobo Milk Tea, Coconut Mango Boom, and Cheese Grape Boom.
Heytea is renowned for pioneering cheese tea—a beverage topped with a creamy cheese foam. The brand gained significant popularity in China, where customers famously waited up to three hours in line for a cup of cheese tea when it launched in Beijing and Shanghai in 2017. Heytea’s innovative fruit tea blends real fruit juice and pulp with a pure tea slushie.
With over 4,000 stores globally, including in China, Malaysia, the UK, Canada, and Australia, Heytea has garnered over a million tagged posts on Xiaohongshu and more than 84,000 on Instagram. The brand’s first U.S. store opened in New York City last summer, followed by a second location in Flushing, NY.
Yujia Gu, Heytea’s Vice President of Overseas Strategy and Franchise, anticipates the U.S. market for boba tea will surpass that of China, driven by a vibrant community of international students and young people embracing Asian pop culture. Plans include opening additional locations in San Gabriel, Irvine, and other major West Coast cities, followed by expansion into the Midwest.
“We are more than just boba tea,” Gu stated. “Many boba places use syrups, creamers, and artificial ingredients. We use real fruit and real milk.”
Among Heytea’s unique offerings is the Yumberry series, which features the Chinese bayberry—a subtropical fruit known for its sweet and mildly sour flavor. For the Beverly Hills opening, Heytea introduced the California Sunset, a store-exclusive slushie made with green jasmine tea and infused with Sunkist orange juice and pulp.
“We consider it our gift to the city of Los Angeles,” Gu remarked.
On its opening day, Heytea sold approximately 2,000 cups. To celebrate, the store is offering a buy-one-get-one-50%-off promotion and limited-edition L.A.-themed magnets through August 1.
Wesley An, a 26-year-old staff member from Heytea’s Broadway location in New York, was on hand to assist with the grand opening. Despite the unexpected intensity of the Los Angeles sun, An expressed admiration for the customers’ enthusiasm, noting that some had already consumed four cups of iced water while waiting in line.
“We’re very moved by how passionate people are about the opening,” An said.
In preparation for the opening, Heytea invited influencers, food bloggers from Xiaohongshu, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as NBA All-Star Paul George, who personally prepared a California Sunset.
Chen Fan, a 25-year-old recent USC graduate, visited Heytea after seeing posts on Xiaohongshu. Excited about the arrival of a well-known boba chain, Fan planned to order the Grape Boom, a popular choice made with grape juice, green jasmine tea slushie, grape-flavored jelly, and hand-peeled grapes. According to Heytea’s website, the Grape Boom and Cheese Grape Boom have collectively sold over 117 million cups worldwide from 2021 to 2023, making them top sellers.
Gu explained that Heytea’s choice to open in Beverly Hills aligns with its strategy to attract a youthful and dynamic clientele. “Beverly Hills is diverse and energetic,” Gu noted. “When people visit Rodeo Drive, they seek new and fashionable experiences, and we aim to be that kind of brand.”
Heytea is located at 479 N Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
If you also want to join Heytea, you can learn about Heytea franchise.
Related topics:
