Warum wird Zheng Qinwen so beliebt, nachdem sie für "Milchtee" geworben hat? Tatsächlich kommt die Hälfte ihrer Popularität von Cha Ji.

Five years ago, hardly anyone could have imagined that a world champion would appear in the public eye holding a milk tea. However, since the 2024 Paris Olympics, this scene has become a reality. During the Paris Olympics, Zheng Qinwen became the focus of the nation with her outstanding performance and suddenly rose to fame overnight. In her "commercial landscape as a top - tier athlete", more than a dozen well - known brands have gathered. Among them, the one that stands out with a sense of contrast and huge popularity, having hit the jackpot with Zheng Qinwen, is Cha Paoyee - a brand commonly regarded as a "milk tea" brand. This has sparked extensive discussions outside: Why would an athlete known for health and self - discipline choose to endorse a milk tea brand?

What's even more intriguing is that this is not an isolated case. In the past year, more and more tea beverage brands have "teamed up" with athletes. In September last year, riding on the wave of the Olympics' popularity, Heytea invited Fan Zhendong to be its champion ambassador, Shanghai Aunty invited Zhang Changning to be its light fruit tea recommender, and Chabaidao invited Yang Liwei and Yang Shuyu to be its brand dynamic and healthy ambassadors.

This phenomenon reflects an industry trend: In the milk tea industry, once regarded as a "calorie bomb", a new trend of "redefining its own value in the name of health" has emerged.

01. In the second half of the milk tea game, it's no longer just about "taste"

There is no doubt that the competition in the new tea beverage industry has entered the second stage. Facing this major test, milk tea brands are showing their unique skills. On one hand, there are the "ingredient - stacking" brands: cheese, pearls, taro balls, caramel... Various ingredients are piled up in a single drink as the main means to attract consumers. On the other hand, more and more brands are starting to explore the "less is more" healthy route. Consumers' focus has also shifted from simple taste experience to health and rational choices.

Data from iiMedia Research shows that nearly half of consumers actively choose "zero - sugar, zero - calorie, zero - fat" drinks when placing orders. Many milk tea lovers start calculating the calories of each topping before placing an order to avoid exceeding their daily calorie intake. The streets filled with milk tea shops are even jokingly referred to by netizens as the "diabetes street". According to the iiMedia data report, currently, the two things consumers most expect from tea beverages are: standardization of toppings (59.7%) and having healthy alternatives (53.0%). Health is becoming the mainstream mindset in the new tea beverage industry. These two seemingly contradictory aspects are actually real consumption trends.

Take Cha Paoyee as an example. This dark horse that has emerged from the new tea beverage circle in 7 years has long made it clear that it doesn't want to be simply regarded as a "milk tea shop". It positions itself as modern tea - the products on its menu always focus on tea as the core. It abandons complex kitchen operations such as adding toppings and cutting fruits, and clearly labels the calories and glycemic index (GI). Even Zheng Qinwen's coach praised the "clean" calories of the drinks after a trial taste. This transparency is not only a commitment to health but also a transmission of brand philosophy - tea beverages are no longer just a taste enjoyment but also an embodiment of a rational and self - disciplined lifestyle.

02. Zheng Qinwen's endorsement is more than just the contrast between "athlete + new tea beverage"

In 2024, Zheng Qinwen was undoubtedly the most eye - catching name on the Olympic field and in the business landscape. Her outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics quickly made this young Chinese tennis player the target of various brands. At that time, her list of cooperation spanned the automotive, luxury, beauty, and FMCG fields - Audi, Rolex, Lancôme, Nike, Dior, McDonald's, Cha Paoyee... It almost covered all the mainstream endorsement categories for a top - tier athlete.

Zheng Qinwen's Olympic victory directly drove up the popularity of Cha Paoyee. Many netizens sighed about Cha Paoyee's good luck, saying, "They actually bet on Zheng Qinwen."

But why would a young new tea beverage brand bet on an Olympic champion?

In fact, rather than "betting right", it's more accurate to say that Cha Paoyee has been "laying out" for a long time.

Cha Paoyee's ability to ride on Zheng Qinwen's good luck is closely related to its long - standing health strategy and modern tea products. That's why Cha Paoyee thought of cooperating with athletes during the Olympics. During the Paris Olympics, Cha Paoyee also signed seven world - class athletes such as Liu Xiang and Wang Shun at once, forming an endorsement matrix called the "Health Ambassador Group", bringing a "health breakthrough" to the tea beverage circle.

It's worth noting that the cooperation between Zheng Qinwen and Cha Paoyee is also continuously upgrading. In 2024, she was the "Global Health Ambassador" of Cha Paoyee; now, she has officially become the brand's "Global Spokesperson". She represents this generation of young people - those who pursue strength, focus on themselves, and take every swing seriously.

The combination of "champion girl × modern tea" has made Cha Paoyee stand out among similar brands. This is not just an extension of the Olympic Games' popularity but also a moment for the "healthy tea beverage" to break through the circle. By leveraging the sports spirit, the brand has found a new way of expression - "healthy tea beverage" is no longer just about the formula or raw materials but has extended to an active and powerful lifestyle.

In the second half of the new tea beverage race, Cha Paoyee has completed its transformation from "Oriental tea" to "healthy tea beverage" through a highly recognizable cross - border cooperation. And Zheng Qinwen has personified this spirit - a young person who pursues her passion to the extreme and can balance strength and warmth in daily life.

03. Company strategy determines products, and products determine marketing strategies

Behind this is by no means a simple health - oriented marketing campaign but a deep implementation of product essence and company strategy.

While all brands are enthusiastically doing "addition and subtraction of raw materials", Cha Paoyee has given a different answer: It chooses to return to the origin of tea and only develop products centered around tea itself. On the menu, there are no toppings, no taro balls, only a combination of whole - leaf tea and fresh milk. The tea beverage with fresh milk is called "whole - leaf fresh milk tea".

As early as 2023, Cha Paoyee achieved zero addition of flavorings in the tea base, zero creamer in the milk, and zero trans - fatty acids in the whole drink. In 2024, the brand also launched an ABCD nutrition grading system, classifying products from "A" to "D" according to the sugar, fat, and other contents in the beverages - when consumers get the menu, it's almost like looking at a "health report card".

As of September 2025, data disclosed by Cha Paoyee shows that more than 50% of consumers prefer to choose drinks in the A and B grades when placing orders. In other words, consumers are voting with their actual actions: Health is no longer just a brand slogan but a real decision - making criterion that affects choices.

According to a 2024 survey by the IFIC (International Food Information Council), 66% of consumers said that when purchasing food and beverages, they would pay attention to whether the products contain ingredients they want to avoid, such as "artificial additives" and "excessive sugar". More than three - quarters of people cited "maintaining health" as the primary factor in choosing food. This global consumer awakening is driving brands to make more firm and long - term strategic choices. Only by making health perceptible and calculable for consumers can brands create differentiation and a sense of value.

However, are all milk tea brands willing and suitable to take the "health" route? The key to answering this question lies in returning to the essence of the product. The reason why Cha Paoyee stands out in the milk tea market is not because it is a traditional "milk tea shop" in the true sense. Its product ingredients are simple, always focusing on "tea" itself. As is well - known, tea leaves are rich in various nutrients such as polyphenols, catechins, theanine, and vitamins C, B, and E, which bring multiple benefits to health - this is the brand gene of Cha Paoyee. For example, the whole - leaf fresh milk tea with fresh milk is like a latte in coffee, while pure tea is like American coffee, undoubtedly a beverage choice closer to health needs.

The annual sales of its star product "Boyajuexian" have exceeded 1.25 billion cups. Behind this is also Cha Paoyee's years of testing of whole - leaf tea blending and process refinement - this cannot be achieved by following short - term traffic trends but is a long - term commitment to product quality.

Beyond traffic - driven marketing, Cha Paoyee seems to be answering a question with its actions: What kind of tea is the right tea for contemporary young people? The answer may lie in the cup of tea in Zheng Qinwen's hand - healthy enough, self - consistent enough, and modern enough.