Booming tea culture: Nayuki hits Japan, Urban Tea to open in New York

25 Jun 2020 --- The first Nayuki store in Japan is scheduled to open next month, bringing customers its line-up of fruit-based cheese teas. According to the Chinese chain, tea culture in Asia is ripe for future growth amid a boom in interest for tea-based flavors and beverages. Meanwhile, Chinese-headquartered company Urban Tea has revealed that its first overseas store will open in New York, US, this August, assuming the city reopens following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As a brand dedicated to becoming the innovator and promoter of the tea culture, we wish to deliver an exceptional experience for local residents, reflecting our passion for creating unique tea-based beverages for tea lovers worldwide,” says Peng Xin, Founder of Nayuki.

The Nayuki store will be located inside Dotonbori Zero Gate, a shopping complex in central Osaka. It is set to cover 200 square meters and, according to the company, will create an inviting space for tea lovers to unwind and sip on its drinks, which combine traditional and modern elements. The store’s design features unique details to match Japan’s modern culture while retaining its classic interior space brightly adorned by the stylish ceiling lightings designed by world-class designers, as well as other creative elements that give fresh life to the lounge areas.

Nayuki will bring customers in Japan a wide range of tea drinks from its classic delicacy “Supreme Cheese Fruit Tea” to the summer favorites such as cold brew tea series.Nayuki will bring customers in Japan a wide range of tea drinks from its classic delicacy “Supreme Cheese Fruit Tea” to the summer favorites such as cold brew tea series. Handcrafted by the tea baristas trained by the professional Nayuki team, each tea features a rich and unique flavor that is blended with a natural hint of fruity sweetness and lingering floral aroma.

Alongside its cream-topped fruit teas, the store will also bring its “soft-euro bakes” known well by its Chinese customers, to Japan. Nayuki soft-euro bakes are made based on low oil and sugar baking while delivering well-balanced mouthfeel and nutrition. Consumers in Japan can now enjoy Nayuki’s signature “fruit tea and soft euro bread pairing” concept featuring the Supreme Cheese Strawberry tea and Strawberry fresh cream bread combo, the company details.

The company has formed multiple partnerships to establish orchards and tea fields where raw materials are cultivated under strict standards from cultivation to processing. To offer the best taste to customers, Nayuki’s team frequently visits global tea-growing regions to select premium tea leaves and fruits.

“We are not only producing a product but an all-around experience with which our customers can immerse into the tea culture with new-style tea drinks made possible by the modern techniques and traditional concepts of tea,” Peng Xin explains.

Expanding tea in New York
In a similar spirit, Urban Tea, a retailer of specialty teas and baked goods headquartered in Hunan, China, has made significant progress in the renovation of its first overseas store in New York City. The store named Meno is expected to have a trial opening on July 15, 2020, and a grand opening in August, assuming New York City will reopen following COVID-19 lockdowns as currently scheduled.

“We’re excited to open our first overseas store Meno in NYC during the summer. This marks the first milestone in our long-term overseas operation plan. Although Meno was initially planned to be opened in early 2020, the evolving COVID-19 situation has delayed plans. Although opening a new store during a pandemic is challenging and we understand that it may take some time to ramp up the business during this time of uncertainty, our team has been working tirelessly to make this happen and to continue looking towards the future,” says Long Yi, Chief Executive Officer of Urban Tea. 

The store will be located near Washington Square Park and the New York University campus in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of lower Manhattan. The store’s design is expected to create a “quintessential hang-out spot” for the customers to enjoy its specialty tea-based beverages. 

As New York continues to reopen, the retailer will continue to follow state and city guidelines in the renovation of Meno, abiding by social distancing measures and other sanitary procedures in place. Additionally, all staff will be screened for coronavirus before shifts, wear Personal Protective Equipment, as well as practice proper handwashing and food safety protocols. The full menu will be served with take-out and online order store pick up. Limited dine-in service will be offered to customers, says Urban Tea. 

Edited by Elizabeth Green