New-style tea fuels Zhejiang's tea industry transformation

Zhejiang's tea industry is shifting from producing tea in a single season to harvesting throughout the year, driven by the rapidly growing new-style tea beverage market.

A provincial symposium on the innovation and development of the new-style tea industry was held in Shaoxing on Oct 24. 

In the first half of this year, the province's raw tea supply for new-style tea reached 25,700 metric tons, with an output value of 1.69 billion yuan ($240 million), up 43 percent and 67 percent year-on-year respectively.

In one of tea production areas in Shengzhou, tea farmers were still busy picking leaves, a scene once seen only during spring's peak season. 

The rise of new-style tea drinks has transformed Zhejiang's tea industry, turning previously idle summer and autumn tea seasons into productive months.

According to a representative from the brand Chagee, the national new-style tea beverage market has become heavily reliant on Shengzhou and Xinchang in Shaoxing for its Longjing tea supply. New-style tea beverages are emerging as Zhejiang's next flagship product.