Superstars leading charge to healthier drink choices

Driven by the pursuit of a healthy diet after the nation's first grading system to evaluate the nutritional value of beverages was introduced in March, Chinese new-age tea brands are providing consumers with healthier choices.

On July 5, homegrown hurdles legend Liu Xiang returned to the field in a short film, narrating stories of people of different ages and backgrounds striving to live healthier lives. Another significant role Liu plays is global health ambassador for Chinese new-age tea brand Chagee. Along with Liu, Chagee's team of health ambassadors consists of world-class athletes Wang Shun, Zheng Qinwen, Jia Yifan, Chen Qingchen, Liu Qingyi, and Wang Ruimiao, who are introducing modern Eastern tea to international consumers at the ongoing Paris Olympics.

In February, Chagee took the lead in implementing the Nutri-Grade system guided by the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, becoming the first tea beverage brand in the country to do so. After a four-month trial, Chagee announced the Nutri-Grade system will be implemented in all of its nearly 5,000 outlets nationwide.

The system classifies beverages based on their content of four key ingredients — added sugar, saturated fat, trans fat and non-sugar sweeteners. With grades ranging from A to D, the recommended level decreases if the drink contains higher amounts of sugar, saturated fat and other unhealthy additives. Following official guidance standards, nearly 70 percent of the products previously sold in Shanghai stores by Chagee have received an A or B grade rating.

Currently, the ordering page of the Chagee WeChat app indicates values such as calorie content and glycemic index — a measure of how fast a food is converted to sugar in the blood. The nutrition calculator on the app can help consumers check the specific ingredient information of each drink, guiding them to choose beverages that are most suitable.

In the development process of new-age tea beverages, the vision of health is both a profound insight into the real needs of consumers and a way for brands to gradually establish a connection with their customers to create a sense of belonging in a healthy lifestyle. To allow consumers to perceive the charm of the global sport events at a glance, Chagee has incorporated elements of swimming, tennis, badminton, and breakdancing into the visual symbols of tea mountains, tea leaves, and gardenia flowers that the brand has long been associated with. Based on those elements and design, Chagee is launching limited-edition refrigerator stickers in some 5,000 stores nationwide, integrating Eastern tea culture into the spirit of sports.