← 返回新闻首页

Can Chagee become the ‘Starbucks of tea’? Its Asia-Pacific CMO Eugene Lee talks about the Chinese brand’s global ambitions

Eugene Lee discusses Chagee’s global ambitions, China’s tea brand growth and lessons from McDonald’s and Starbucks. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The Straits TimesTan Dawn Wei2026-10-28 17:31查看原文 ↗

新闻视频

视频

In Your Opinion Podcast

Eugene Lee, APAC CMO of Chagee talks tea, China and Mcdonald’s.

Published Oct 28, 2026, 05:31 PM

Updated Oct 28, 2026, 05:31 PM

Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day.

What does it take to turn a Chinese tea chain into a global brand? And what can China’s new generation of consumer companies learn from the likes of McDonald’s and Starbucks?

Eugene Lee has seen both sides of the divide. After 16 years at McDonald’s, where he rose to become international chief marketing officer, he joined Shanghai-headquartered Chagee as its Asia-Pacific chief marketing officer in 2025.

In this conversation with The Straits Times’ senior columnist Tan Dawn Wei, Lee describes the culture shock of moving from an 86-year-old American multinational to a fast-moving young Chinese company, where ideas can become reality within days. He explains how Chagee uses automation, standardisation and lessons borrowed from competitors to expand rapidly, and why building emotional connections with consumers matters as much as selling a good product.

He also addresses Chagee’s falling market valuation, slowing sales and the risk of becoming another passing fad in the food and beverage industry. Beyond tea, the conversation explores China’s remarkable transformation from the world’s factory into a creator of increasingly ambitious - and desirable - global brands.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:35 A culture shock from McDonald’s to Chagee

5:07 The Chinese lack of fear of failure

14:56 Becoming “the Starbucks of tea”

18:21 The secret behind scaling a business quickly

23:09 How Chagee localises for different markets

28:14 Is Chagee expanding faster than consumer demand can keep up?

31:10 Taking lessons from other successful Chinese F&B brands

34:00 Will Chagee be yet another F&B fad?

39:52 The influx of Chinese retail brands to Singapore and the anxiety it brings

42:45 How China is building global brands

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Host: Tan Dawn Wei ( dawntan@sph.com.sg )

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai

Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Lynda Hong

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

ST Current Affairs Podcast

你的观点播客

昌吉亚太区首席营销官李宇健谈茶、中国和麦当劳。

发布于 2026 年 10 月 28 日下午 5:31

更新于2026年10月28日下午5:31

简介：引人深思的对话和访谈。每周三，《你的观点》节目都会采访思想家、领袖以及那些影响我们生活和时事热点的人士。

如何将一家中国茶饮连锁店打造成全球品牌？中国新一代消费品公司又能从麦当劳和星巴克等公司身上学到什么？

尤金·李对这两种截然不同的经历都有所了解。在麦当劳工作了16年，并晋升为国际首席营销官之后，他于2025年加入总部位于上海的创智集团，担任亚太区首席营销官。

在与《海峡时报》资深专栏作家陈晓薇的对话中，李先生讲述了从一家拥有86年历史的美国跨国公司跳槽到一家快速发展的中国年轻企业所带来的文化冲击，在后者，创意可以在几天内变成现实。他解释了长基集团如何利用自动化、标准化以及借鉴竞争对手的经验来实现快速扩张，并阐述了为什么与消费者建立情感联系与销售优质产品同等重要。

他还谈到了茶业估值下降、销售放缓以及可能沦为食品饮料行业又一个昙花一现的潮流的风险。除了茶饮之外，对话还探讨了中国从“世界工厂”到打造日益雄心勃勃且备受追捧的全球品牌的惊人转变。

亮点（点击/轻触上方）：

2:35 从麦当劳到 Chagee 的文化冲击

5:07 中国人对失败缺乏恐惧

14:56 成为“茶界的星巴克”

18:21 快速扩展业务的秘诀

23:09 Chagee 如何针对不同市场进行本地化

28:14 Chagee 的扩张速度是否超过了消费者的需求速度？

31:10 向其他成功的中国餐饮品牌学习

34:00 Chagee 会是又一个昙花一现的餐饮潮流吗？

39:52 中国零售品牌涌入新加坡及其带来的焦虑

42:45 中国如何打造全球品牌