As summer temperatures continue to climb, the beverage market is entering its busiest season of the year. On May 20, CHABAIDAO (02555) made a comeback with its signature product "Lychee Iced Milk," selling 700,000 cups on the first day, setting a new brand record for single-item first-day sales in recent years. It is understood that several new tea beverage brands have also launched "Lychee Iced Milk" style products this year, firing the first shot in the summer beverage market. Related topics on social media are heating up, with views on Douyin exceeding 100 million and Xiaohongshu views surpassing 20 million. A CHABAIDAO staff member posted online, expressing, "Who can understand, the orders are just too many. I've been peeling lychees all day, my hands are numb." Another netizen shared drinking three cups in one day, exclaiming, "It's so delicious I want to weld it to my hand." "As soon as Lychee Iced Milk returned, the store was so busy our feet barely touched the ground," a CHABAIDAO franchisee stated. "Just yesterday, we sold over 500 cups of Lychee Iced Milk alone. We almost ran out of ingredients last night and had to urgently request more from the company. We were in the store before dawn this morning preparing supplies, without even time to drink water." The popularity of Lychee Iced Milk has also impacted the upstream supply chain. At a "Feizixiao" lychee plantation in Lingshui, Hainan, grower Mr. Li is busy organizing workers for harvest. "This year, more than half of my lychees are being sold to beverage clients, the order volume is especially large," he said. "Good fruit is never hard to sell; it's taken away as soon as it's picked." Industry analysts point out three reasons why Lychee Iced Milk has evolved from last year's hit product into this year's hit category: First, the strong lychee flavor pairs well with milk and tea for a pleasant taste. Second, there is a strong seasonal association; when lychee season arrives, consumers naturally think "it's time for lychees." Third, a leading brand created the initial hit, with competitors following suit, collectively expanding the category.
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