56.8 F
Los Angeles
Monday, April 28, 2025

Premium Tea Brand Chagee with 6,400 Stores, Lands First U.S. Store in LA

Exterior of Chagee’s first U.S. store at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles
The exterior of Chagee’s first U.S. location at Westfield Century City. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]
Premium tea brand Chagee, which has expanded to over 6,400 locations worldwide, offered an exclusive sneak peek of its first U.S. store at Westfield Century City Mall today, ahead of the soft opening on April 26 and grand opening on May 9.

Founded in 2017 in Yunnan, China, Chagee rapidly expanded across China, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. The brand, officially listed on Nasdaq in April 2025, aims to bring modern tea culture to 100 countries, delivering 15 billion cups annually and creating 300,000 jobs worldwide.

Modern Tea Experience Arrives in Los Angeles

Chagee to-go cup featuring modern tea branding at Westfield Century City
A to-go cup from Chagee’s first U.S. store at Westfield Century City. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]
At Westfield Century City, Chagee introduces its five-senses tea experience to Los Angeles—blending sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste.

Guests at the media sneak peek sampled signature drinks, including the BOYA Tea Latte and Peach Oolong Tea Latte, while exploring the space filled with beige tones, wood textures, and copper accents. The ceiling, inspired by the mountains of Hainan, completes the serene, natural atmosphere.

Technology-Driven Customization

Chagee H-Machine brewing customized to-go teas at Westfield Century City
Chagee’s H-Machine customizes teas with AI-driven brewing at Westfield Century City. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]

A key highlight was the demonstration of Chagee’s proprietary H-Machine.
Using an AI-powered QR code system, drinks are brewed and customized every seven seconds, ensuring precision and freshness.

Premium whole tea leaves sourced from Yunnan, Fujian, Dabie Mountains, and Sri Lanka are brewed to order, while the Tea Extraction Technology draws rich flavors using high-pressure and high-temperature methods.

Chagee workers preparing at the bar for media day at Westfield Century City
Chagee staff prepare the bar area ahead of the media sneak peek at Westfield Century City. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]

Staff prepared the bar meticulously, lining up orders and readying the store for Los Angeles tea lovers.

Three Signature Series for the U.S. Market

At its first U.S. store, Chagee will offer three drink series:

  • Tea Lattes
  • Pure Teas
  • Specialty Teas

The BOYA Tea Latte, a global bestseller with over 600 million cups sold, remains the signature drink. Chagee’s menu is designed to energize and calm, catering to a wide range of modern tea drinkers.

Chagee roasted black tea to-go cup with nutrition label at Westfield Century City U.S. store
A roasted black tea with a nutrition label ready for pickup at Chagee’s Westfield Century City U.S. store. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]

Orders can be placed through the Chagee mobile app, offering convenience and full customization.

Soft Opening and Grand Opening Schedule

Chagee Westfield Century City interior with wood and natural design elements
The wood-toned interior of Chagee’s first U.S. store at Westfield Century City. [Yoonjae Jung, The Korea Daily]

The Westfield Century City store, located on Level 2 next to The Container Store, will begin its soft opening on April 26.

The full grand opening celebration is set for May 9, when Chagee officially unveils its complete U.S. menu and experience.


BY YOONJAE JUNG [jung.yoonjae@koreadaily.com]

- Advertisement -
Yoonjae Jung
Yoonjae Jung
Yoonjae Jung reports on society for The Korea Daily. Before joining The Korea Daily in June 2024, he graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in economics. He has a strong interest in entertainment and culture.