What can F&B brands learn from Heytea’s health-oriented marketing strategies?

We previously covered how Heytea introduced its "Caffeine Traffic Light" product label, categorizing drinks by caffeine levels to help consumers choose based on their needs. During the Paris Olympics, Heytea also collaborated with Anta to launch the "Champion Slimming Bottle," a "liquid salad" featuring superfoods like kale and chia seeds. As a leading player in the fresh fruit tea drink category, Heytea continues to build its brand image around healthy fresh drinks and a wellness-focused lifestyle. This aligns with the rising trend in China's fresh tea market, driven by growing health consciousness. Today’s article will explore Heytea’s health-focused marketing approaches and offer insights for brands looking to convey similar health-focused messages.

Fresh 'liquid salad' products featuring superfood ingredients

During the Paris Olympics, Heytea introduced the "Champion Slimming Bottle," a "liquid salad" made with superfoods like kale and chia seeds. Many customers reported that it was effective in relieving constipation, and it sold over 3.5 million bottles in its first month, sparking a trend of DIY recreations online.

Heytea's Kale Slimming bottle and consumers' DIY tutorials on that product. Image: Xiaohongshu @天津国金汇 @生煎小寿司 @李吃不胖

The strong debut paved the way for more superfood-based "liquid salads." In September, Heytea launched the "Cooling Slimming Bottle," featuring kale, apple, lemon, and green tea, with the addition of bitter melon, a vegetable widely known in China for its cooling and detoxifying properties.

Heytea's Cooling Slimming Bottle. Image: HEYTEA's official account on Xiaohongshu. 

Following up in October, Heytea released its third superfood-based drink, the Beetroot Beauty Bottle. Beetroot, promoted as the "Western Reishi mushroom," is known for its health benefits and is popular in supermodel diets. However, beetroot has a strong earthy taste, so Heytea added apple and pineapple juices to balance its flavor.

Heytea's Beetroot Beauty Bottle. Image: HEYTEA's official account on Xiaohongshu

Although there's no official scientific definition for "superfoods," they generally refer to nutrient-rich foods with potential health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, and weight-loss properties. Heytea’s super plant drink line perfectly meets the demand for both health and taste. These drinks not only highlight their health benefits, such as cooling, detoxifying, and beautifying effects, but also balance out the natural bitterness of vegetable juices, emphasizing their sweetness without added sugar. By developing this super plant drink line, Heytea strengthens its perception as a leader in healthy fresh drinks, turning "superfoods" into a unique brand signature that enhances both product and brand recognition.

Heytea's supper plant-based drink line. Image: HEYTEA's official WeChat account.

Healthy upgrades for non-guilty pleasures and burden-free drinking experience

On October 26 last year, Heytea started sharing the ingredient formulas, nutritional facts, and sourcing information for all its products. By openly showing "what’s in a cup of Heytea," the brand made a key move towards greater transparency around its products' health benefits.

For example, the ingredient formula and nutritional facts for Heytea’s best-selling "Very Grape" drink can be viewed on the product page of Heytea's ordering mini program. Image: HEYTEA's offical account on Xiaohongshu and ordering mini-program pages.

In May this year, Heytea launched a 'Fruit Tea Sugar Control Plan' to address the controversy around sugar content in fruit teas. The plan is being rolled out in phases. First, all fruit teas can now be upgraded for free to "zero-calorie sugar," maintaining the same sweetness with no added calories. Second, Heytea introduced "slow sugar," a low-GI L-arabinose syrup that provides a milder taste and slower glucose release, offering consumers a healthier sweetener option.

Heytea's 'Fruit Tea Sugar Control Plan.' Image: HEYTEA's official account on Xaiohongshu

In July, Heytea set a new industry benchmark with its “Four Reals, Seven Zeros” healthy fresh drink standard. It emphasizes the use of real tea, milk, fruit, and sugar, while ensuring all products are free from creamers, artificial flavours, high-fructose corn syrup, non-dairy creamers, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, and instant tea powders. Heytea also collaborated with the China Association for Standardization to create a unified standard for freshly made tea drinks, now publicly available.

Heytea's “Four Reals, Seven Zeros” healthy fruit tea and milk tea drink standard. Image: HEYTEA's ordering mini-program pages.

In August, Heytea launched a 'Caffeine Traffic Light' system in response to growing concerns about insomnia from milk tea. This clear labeling helps consumers make informed choices by showing caffeine levels, allowing them to choose their drinks based on their needs.

Heytea's 'Caffeine Traffic Light' product labels and according ordering recomendations. Image: HEYTEA's official account on Xiaohongshu.

Heytea's products clearly highlight health metrics, reducing consumers' health concerns and guilt for beverages. This supports a more carefree, health-conscious tea experience.

Leverage the influence of mega KOL in the fitness circle to burnish healthy lifestyle brand image

In March, Heytea partnered with renowned German fitness influencer Pamela Reif, announcing her as their Health Ambassador to promote a range of lighter Heytea options. This collaboration has helped communicate healthy lifestyle Heytea has advocated.

Heytea announced Pamela Reif as its health ambassador. Image: Heytea's official account on Xiaohongshu.

Then in August, Heytea announced Pamela Reif again, this time as their "Sugar Reduction Officer." Together, they co-developed the "Reduced Sugar Coconut Mango" drink, featuring a custom zero-sugar coconut milk. This new version offers a 12%-29% reduction in sugar compared to the original drink.

Heytea announced Pamela Reif as their ‘Sugar Reduction Officer’ and co-created a lower-sugar coconut mango drink. Image: HEYTEA’s official account on Xiaohongshu.

At Heytea's invitation, Pamela Reif served as a "One-Day Store Manager" at their Shenzhen location, where she made the "Reduced Sugar Coconut Mango" drink on-site and led a Heytea-inspired fitness dance session. The event also featured prize draws, interactive check-ins, and special branded merchandise, including exclusive gifts featuring Pamela.

Pamela Reif at the scene of her One Day Store Manager event in Shenzhen. Image: HEYTEA’s official account on Xiaohongshu.

Heytea tapped into the influence of popular wellness KOL Pamela Reif, co-developing products and hosting interactive events to engage young consumers and reinforce its healthy lifestyle image.

Wrapping up

What can F&B brands learn from Heytea's health-focused initiatives? For those looking to build health-oriented perceptions of their products and brand, here’s a checklist to inspire your health-driven marketing efforts.

• Are there any niche opportunities that target effortless, convenient nutrition? (for example, a well-rounded liquid salad packed with nutrients)

• Are there health concerns or feelings of "guilt" that may discourage consumers from wanting to consume your products? To what extent do product ingredient transparency and sustainability reduce health concerns?

• Can the health benefits/nutritional facts of the product be quantified to convey healthy messages, and does it have an advantage over competitors?

• Assess the brand's development stage: Are there opportunities to leverage the influence of KOLs (possibly including foreign influencers you are already working with) and KOCs in community marketing to enhance brand visibility and build brand image?

• Are their segment/tribe specific health concerns or rituals that you can tap into with laser focus?