Chaitime
Gen Z prefers quick service and fast casual restaurants, according to Piper Sandler’s Taking Stock with Teens semi-annual surveys and other recent research. This represents a significant opportunity for brands in these categories—particularly those who align with the values of the Gen Z cohort.
As a leading freshly brewed beverage brand with over 1,400 franchise locations worldwide, Chatime recognizes Gen Z as its fastest-growing customer base. According to Chatime’s consumer research as well as insights from Piper Sandler, McKinsey, the International Food Information Council and others, this generation looks for convenience and value, they also prioritize quality food and beverages, from taste and experience to transparency about ingredients and sustainable practices.
Chatime ensures authentic, high-quality freshly brewed beverages for Gen Z and all customers by managing every step in the supply chain with 100% transparency and practicing rigorous quality control in the field, factory and store. Here’s how the global brand serves up its consistent, delicious “Cups of Joy.”
In the Field
Chatime maintains close connections with its tea farmers, located in the central mountains of Taiwan’s Nantou County. This region is well suited for growing tea, as the temperature drops significantly from day to night, which helps produce the best quality and yield of leaves. In support of Chatime’s commitment to sustainability, the farmers use natural farming practices, allowing nature to take its course and promoting biodiversity and ecological balance.
The tea trees are planted symmetrically on the hills, nurtured by sunlight and mountain rainfall that flows down evenly across the entire tea terrace. This system of planting also slants the trees in a way that protects the tea leaves from overexposure, preserving their taste. During the harvest, farmers carefully hand-pick the buds off the tea trees, one by one, for processing.
In the Factory
After harvest, Chatime follows the highest standards of traditional tea-making at its tea factory, which is certified according to global quality and safety benchmarks. The tea leaves are taken through a series of sophisticated procedures to prepare them for use in beverages worldwide, and in addition to meeting all external requirements, Chatime follows its own rigorous processes for quality assurance. The Chatime Tea Masters—tea agronomists and global tea experts with decades of industry experience—strictly monitor each batch of tea and conduct multiple inspections before shipping. They work tirelessly to ensure the highest quality standards.
Additionally, Chatime owns Ten En Tapioca Foods, one of the largest manufacturers of tapioca pearls and other food products in Asia. This ensures the brand has visibility and oversight not only for the tea leaves, but also for other ingredients used to create its signature beverages.
In the Store
As a leading global brand, Chatime has significant experience in meeting the quality standards and obtaining the international certifications to support its franchise locations in 63 countries. Once in store, Chatime ensures quality at scale through standardization. For example, when the brand was founded, other brands brewed their tea by hand for each order, a practice that decreases quality control and increases risk. Chatime developed automatic tea brewing machine technology that brews larger amounts of tea more quickly while preserving quality and freshness. This approach has guided Chatime’s menu expansion to include ice creams, coffees, smoothies, juices and more.
Of course, quality assurance isn’t limited to product: it’s also about experiences. Chatime recently reinvigorated its brand platform to better reflect with how customers engage with the brand—they come to Chatime to enjoy little moments in their everyday lives. The refreshed brand evokes this vibrant spirit and creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The “Cups of Joy” brand promise is incorporated into the service customers receive and updated visuals they see (including a new logo, packaging and store design), which are full of personality, featuring rich colors and playful imagery that create a sense of celebration.
For more information about Chatime’s brand, quality assurance, and franchise opportunities, visit Chatime.com.tw.
This post is sponsored by Chatime
