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QUAN ZHOU, FUJIAN has already developed from an emerging industry
Hokkien into a booming industry, especially in cities like
Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen where compe-
Fujian province, which was nicknamed “Hu tition is even fiercer. In a report released by Mei-
Jian” because of its local accent, has not only be- tuan Dianping, “2019 China Beverage Industry
come a doorway for people to learn the southern Trends,” the company concluded that “the ready-
Fujian dialect, but also a breeding ground for the made beverage industry has a promising future in
establishment of a new brand of tea drinks called second- and third-tier cities. The fact that HEYTEA
“Hokkien”. and Nayuki Tea have been adapting to lower tier
Based on the high-quality teas from the south- markets also confirms this view.
ern part of Fujian province, Hokkien has made great But the reality is not as rosy as it seems. Well-
efforts to show the “new-style” and its differentia- known big tea brands have had little reception in
tion. For example, they quoted “wanglai” (pro- second- and third-tier cities. The high price, which
nounced similar as pineapple in southern Fujian is the same as that of the first-tier market, failed to
dialect) to mean tea with good omen, and “sipping lead the local consumption upgrade. Instead, to a
the world” (“tasting all the food in the world” in certain extent, it resulted in a significant drop in
southern Fujian dialect) to name Fujian’s rich sales, which backfired on the brand’s credibility.
flavored Four Fruits Tea. Apart from the figures, these local milk tea
During the innovation process, Hokkien brands that haven’t yet expanded out of the province
brought a southern Fujian snack to the new style can also reveal a lot. The generalized product design
tea drinks: agar-made jelly, which is a jelly made couldn’t accommodate the preferences of consumers
from natural plants growing in the depth of the sea, in all geographic regions. The chain stores that entered
served as an ingredient to enrich the taste. Also, the market have not been designed to fit the regional
Hokkien’s milk tea recipe is not only confined to characteristics, appearing insincere and overly pos-
tea, but also the winter gourd juice that the locals turing. Even for homegrown brands, they still need
are used to drinking since childhood, creating a to localize their brands a bit to blend in with the local
distinctive taste experience. cultural environment while communicating their own
With “consumption upgrade” and “lifestyle” intellectual property and consumer culture if they are
as the driving forces, China’s new-style tea drink to reach new consumers.

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