HeyTea released a Golden Yuzu-Oolong fruit tea flavor in stores on April 9. The new item was unveiled as a part of the Teamix series, which focuses on blending fresh ingredients such as fruit with traditional teas for a deep flavor profile.
HeyTea is a Chinese tea chain founded in 2012, known for inventing cheese foam, which is a beverage topping of salted, whipped cream cheese. HeyTea sells fruit teas, milk teas, and plain teas. The HeyTea location nearest to Poolesville is located in Wintergreen Plaza, Rockville. The Rockville location opened on June 20, 2025 with thousands lined up on opening day, following the Tyson’s Corner location which opened in Virginia that February. HeyTea also plans on opening a new location at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda this fall after the popularity of its other DMV locations.
The Golden Oolong Yuzu tea is fruity with a subtle, bitter oolong taste that cuts through the tart citrus. The beverage shines in its simplicity and lightness. The item was revealed along with the other new Teamix flavors released this year including Jasmine Guava and Pistachio Cloud Latte.
Senior Alicia Yang, longtime enjoyer of HeyTea, shared her thoughts on the new flavor.
“It’s really good. It’s different from most other drinks I’ve tried before because it’s like a fruit that I don’t eat commonly,” said Yang.
The interior of the store is minimalist and neutral-colored, reflecting the brand’s emphasis on zen and simple pleasure. There is a flavor for everyone at HeyTea, from the decadent Coconut Mango Boom and Supreme Brown Sugar Boba to refreshingly sweet Crisp Grape Boom to smooth Cloud Matcha Latte.
HeyTea is known for its social media marketing and global popularity. It has collaborated with fashion brands such as Sandy Liang and Alexander Wang, opened stores in key big cities including D.C., New York City, and London, and crafted local menu items to suit the taste of their customer bases. The brand’s photogenic packaging differentiates it from other brands while its consistent focus on product quality keeps customers returning. This high quality is exemplified by the fresh Golden Yuzu-Oolong tea.
Senior Clara Park, frequenter of HeyTea and marketing expert in DECA, spoke to Heytea’s successful brand strategy.
“HeyTea stands out because of their brand positioning as an affordable luxury. Drinking their teas feels more like an experience than just a drink,” said Park. “Most customers, including myself, take a picture of the drink and post on Instagram before drinking because it feels like a special treat.”
With about 4,000 stores in China, HeyTea started its American expansion two years ago. The first US locations opened in New York City, then California and the DMV area. It now has 100 overseas stores, including over 30 in the US, and is one of the biggest tea brands in the area as well as globally, satisfying people’s cravings for boba and fruit teas .
HeyTea helped pioneer the global trend of Chinese tea, and this trend is only growing. Rival tea brands, Chagee and Naisnow, opened their first U.S. stores in 2025. .
“There’s a lot of xenophobia in America, and having HeyTea as a positive attachment to represent China is pretty good because everyone associates HeyTea with positive flavors and feelings,” said Yang.
Whether Heytea can keep up their explosive momentum is unforeseeable. For now, however, HeyTea’s international recognition is undeniable, especially in innovating new flavors regularly such as the Golden Oolong Yuzu tea.
“They have a lot of unique flavors that you can’t really find anywhere else,” said Yang.
