Tea brand Chagee makes Singapore comeback months after sudden exit, to offer new concept at 3 stores

It was here, then it was gone, and now it's back again.  

For those who may remember, Chinese tea brand Chagee abruptly left our shores towards the end of last year and the beginning of this year, closing its last store in Funan Mall on January 13.

The first outlet had opened here in 2019 and grew to around 10 stores at one point, reported Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday (May 29).

The stores here were opened together with local partners, the report added.

However, fans of Chagee who have had to head across the Causeway to get their fix will have something to look forward to come August.

The tea beverage brand founded in Yunnan is set to make a comeback, and will offer something a little different.

According to Chinese media reports, the group will be setting up three outlets in the prime locations of Raffles City, Plaza Singapura and Orchard Gateway.

What's more, they won't just be take-away stands but will offer seating as well as desserts and light meals. There are plans to open more stores subsequently.

In a Facebook post on May 23, it hinted that the first outlet would be the one at Orchard Gateway.

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Amps Tea and Chagee not related

What about Amps Tea, which took over the stores left vacant by Chagee? With the quick changeover, many had assumed that the brands were related, reported Shin Min.

In an interview with the Chinese evening daily, a spokesperson for Chagee stated that the upcoming stores will be managed by the main company and are not franchised businesses. They expressed hope that there would not be any confusion between the two brands.

The spokesperson added that there will be several promotions and offers for Chagee that will be released in due time.

Chagee was started in 2017, with outlets gradually mushrooming across China. It set up its first two overseas outposts two years later in Singapore and Malaysia, where there are currently around 100 outlets, according to its website. The brand also has a presence in Thailand. 

Now, there are more than 4,500 Chagee outlets in total, reported Lianhe Zaobao. 

When contacted by Shin Min, the CEO of Amps Tea, reiterated that the two brands are separate entities and that Amps Tea is not affiliated to any other beverage brand.

News of Chagee's reopening has elated at least one avid fan.

Tutor Cen Jiayi (transliteration), 28, told Shin Min that whenever she travels to Johor Bahru once a month for leisure, the first thing she'd do is to queue for her favourite cup of milk tea at Chagee.

"I was very excited after learning that they will be opening a new store in Singapore, and I think offering food for dine-in is a novel concept," she shared.

Another polytechnic student who used to buy from Chagee often also said she would be looking forward to check out the stores when they open. She hoped, however, that prices of the food and drinks will be reasonable.

AsiaOne has reached out to Chagee for more information.

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candicecai@asiaone.com