'Teaspresso' and QR-coded dispensing machines: How Chagee maintains quality and efficiency to keep customers returning

Most people would not endure a 45-minute commute just to drink a cup of tea, but for mother-and-son duo Emilyn Loo, 36, and Eldred Tam, 10, this journey from West Coast to Plaza Singapura was not for just any tea.

The loyal Chagee fans, like many others, were thrilled by the return of the beverage brand to Singapore shores since its closure on Jan 14 this year. What kept them going back for more was the “pure tea fragrance” and the full-bodied silkiness of the milk teas. 

These elements are thanks to the carefully-sourced tea leaves and quality dairy milk used in Chagee’s drinks, says a Chagee spokesperson, adding that no creamers, trans-fatty acids or artificial flavouring is used in its tea bases.

Founded in 2017 in Yunnan, southwestern China, Chagee made its first appearance on Singapore shores in 2020 as a franchise, growing to 12 outlets before its closure.

Teasing fans about its return since early May, Chagee reopened in Singapore – this time directly managed by the brand itself – to much fanfare, starting with its orchardgateway outlet on Aug 2, then Plaza Singapura on Aug 16, and Raffles City Shopping Centre on Aug 23.

Over these three weekends, crowds thronged the stores for a taste of the tea, while enjoying one-for-one deals, free tear-and-win upgrades with sure-win prizes that included branded perfume, exclusive Chagee merchandise, live orchestral performances, as well as game booths where customers could win cups of Chagee tea.

In addition to these three centrally-located outlets, there are plans to launch more stores across the island, confirms the Chagee spokesperson.

Among those waiting to get their hands on a cup of Chagee were also first-time customers, a mix of curious passers-by and others who had heard about the brand and its opening promotion through their social media networks.

Full-time national servicemen Ng Yew Teck and Klein Chia were hanging out with their friends in town and decided to drop by for the one-for-one deal. The countless posts on social media of their friends enjoying Chagee abroad, before the brand’s return, piqued the interest of the 20-year-olds.

They, along with a youthful energetic crowd comprising students from nearby schools, stood in multiple fast-moving lanes at the opening event at Plaza Singapura.

Making tea more accessible to young people around the world has been what Chagee founder Zhang Junjie had set out to do. And the brand is doing so by incorporating modern touches into its tea-based drinks, as well as using modern brewing methods.

For example, one of Chagee’s bestsellers is the Da Hong Pao Snow Cap Milk Tea, a refreshing take on how premium oolong is enjoyed. Instead of drinking it on its own, the robust tea is paired with quality dairy, white peach-scented fresh cream and topped with freeze-dried fig bits.

There is a high level of consistency and quality that can be achieved with Chagee’s advanced machines, shares Chagee Plaza Singapura assistant store manager Wallace Tan. The proprietary “teaspresso” machine, that uses extraction brewing similar to making an espresso but with tea, speeds up the leaf-to-tea process, while drawing out the leaves’ maximum fragrance and flavour.

There are also tea-based confections that include the Oolong Macchiato Mousse Cake and Jasmine Green Tea Genmaicha Cake, with Chagee’s Singapore stores being the first and only outlets globally thus far to offer them.

“We recognise Singapore's reputation for being a melting pot of cultures and a food and beverage haven in South-east Asia. This makes it an ideal launchpad for Chagee’s cake series,” adds the Chagee spokesperson.

Appealing to the young and health-conscious are also thoughtful touches. The calorie count of each Chagee beverage is reflected via the in-app calorie calculator, which new customer occupational therapist Sarah Wu noticed. The 27-year-old joined the queue after winning a free cup of Chagee’s Jasmine Green Milk Tea at the brand’s toss and win game booth. This popular drink sells an average of over 100 million cups yearly.

In China, Chagee made a name for itself by being one of the first beverage brands there to introduce detailed nutrition for every drink on its menu, which includes the calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat content. This was in accordance with the Shanghai government’s pilot launch of its nutrition labelling scheme for sugar-sweetened beverages. In Singapore, those with the Chagee app can also view the calorie count and other information such as the protein and fat content of each drink.

Despite the long lines at the opening, things ran smoothly and efficiently. This was in part due to the semi-automated smart beverage machines and the well-oiled team behind the counter, which Mr Tan is proud to be a part of.

Besides the teaspresso machine, another tea-dispensing machine requires baristas to simply scan the unique QR codes tagged to each order, for the exact formulation required for each cup of tea, such as the tea, milk, cream or sugar syrup.

This minimises human error, ensures consistency and speeds up drinks collection, and also reduces the manual, repetitive task of measuring each ingredient, allowing staff to focus on what matters most – joyful customer service.

Customers were also delighted with Chagee’s new cafe concept. Previously being mostly takeaway kiosks, this new chic iteration is now equipped with plush seats, offering a spacious and comfortable space for dine-in patrons.

“We wanted to elevate the overall tea drinking experience making it more comfortable and convenient for modern day tea drinkers and, at the same time, encourage consumers to slow down a little and enjoy a good cup of tea from Chagee,” says the Chagee spokesperson.

“This goes back to the advocating of traditional tea culture albeit with a modern spin.”

Among those who managed to snag seats were Ms Loo and her son Eldred. Drawing a long-awaited sip of her Da Hong Pao Milk Tea, the stay-at-home mum shares: “We love the taste of Chagee’s drinks. The tea is very fragrant and light – and we are happy to say the drinks still taste the same.”

Find out more about Chagee and their modernised cups of tea, or visit their stores from 10am to 10pm daily at: